Bacteria and primary biliary cirrhosis.
Infectious agents have been postulated to play a pathogenic role in the loss of immunological tolerance and the induction of primary biliary cirrhosis, an immune-mediated cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive destruction of the small intrahepatic bile ducts and subsequent cirrhosis and liver failure. This review discusses emerging issues implicating infectious agents such as Escherichia coli, mycobacteria, chlamydia, helicobacter species, lactobacilli, Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, and betaretroviruses in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis. We also review the immunopathological mechanisms responsible for the induction of the disease with special emphasis on the role of molecular mimicry and microbial/self immunological cross-reactivity.
Bogdanos
Dimitrios P
DP
Liver Immunopathology, Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London School of Medicine, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill Campus, London, SE5 9RS, UK.
Vergani
Diego
D
D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology*; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex; D000217:Acyltransferases; C033588:dihydrolipoamide acyltransferase; C021515:dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase