title: Detection of male DNA in the liver of female patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary biliary cirrhosis is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive inflammatory destruction of bile ducts, with eventual hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. Since primary biliary cirrhosis affects predominantly middle-aged women and has pathological similarities to hepatic graft-versus-host-disease, we investigated whether fetal cell microchimerism might be involved in the development of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of Y-chromosome-specific sequences was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from women with primary biliary cirrhosis (n=18) and healthy (control) women (n=18), and by in situ hybridization of liver biopsy sections from women with primary biliary cirrhosis (n=19) and women with chronic hepatitis C or alcoholic liver disease (n=20).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male cells were detected in liver biopsy specimens of 8 of 19 patients (42%) with primary biliary cirrhosis. Y-chromosome-containing cells were not seen in any of the liver biopsy specimens from women with chronic hepatitis C or alcoholic liver disease. Male cells were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from one healthy control at a level of 1 male cell per 10(6) female cells, but were not detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of women with primary biliary cirrhosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of male cells in the liver of women with primary biliary cirrhosis raises the possibility that fetal cell microchimerism may be involved in the pathogenesis of this chronic liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fanning
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Clouston
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Edwards-Smith
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Balderson
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kerlin
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002678:Chimera; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014998:Y Chromosome
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D004247:DNA