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Semin Liver Dis 1997; 17(2): 105-113
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1007188
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1997 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

The Role of T Cells in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Judy van de Water1 , Shinji Shimoda1 , Yoshiyuki Niho1 , Ross Coppel2 , Aftab Ansari3 , M. Eric Gershwin4
  • 1Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California1
  • 2The First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
  • 3Monash University, Department of Microbiology, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  • 4Department of Pathology, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Center, Atlanta, Georgia
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Publication History

Publication Date:
17 March 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

While fervently studied by several laboratories, the role of T cells in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) still remains a mystery. The studies concerning cell phenotype, antigen specificity, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-T-cell receptor (TCR) interaction gathered thus far all address important aspects of this intriguing conundrum. However, the lack of an animal model and the genetic diversity of the human population with PBC make this task even more difficult. The possibilities regarding immune therapy resulting from such studies are of great importance. Future work concerning the T-cell epitopes-for both the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC), its related mitochondrial autoantigens, and any as yet unidentified PBC-specific autoantigens- may provide valuable information with regard to disease therapy. In addition, knowledge with regard to TCR usage and MHC association will help to clarify the pathogenic mechanisms of this enigmatic disease.

KEY WORDS

T cells - primary biliary cirrhosis - pyruvate dehydrogenase - T-cell receptor - liver