title: Evidence for the association between IgG-antimitochondrial antibody and biochemical response to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in primary biliary cholangitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) is considered the serological hallmark of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), while data regarding the profile of AMA during ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment are scarce. Here, we assessed the influence of UDCA treatment on titers of AMA and factors relevant to its production.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum IgA-AMA, IgM-AMA, IgG-AMA, B cell-activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF), and the frequency of circulating plasmablasts were detected in PBC patients, including those who received UDCA therapy for 24 weeks, healthy controls, chronic hepatitis B patients, and autoimmune hepatitis patients. Consecutive liver sections from controls and PBC patients were stained by immunohistochemistry for detection of intrahepatic CD38+, IgA+, IgM+, and IgG+cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant decrease in titers of IgG-AMA was found only confined to PBC patients with biochemical response to UDCA treatment (P = 0.005), and similar pattern was also observed at week 24 in quantifying circulating plasmablasts (P = 0.025) and serum BAFF (P = 0.013). Notably, positive correlation between serum BAFF levels and titers of IgG-AMA, and the frequency of circulating plasmablasts were observed in PBC patients (r = 0.464, P = 0.034 and r = 0.700, P < 0.001, respectively). Additionally, in situ staining revealed significant accumulation of CD38+and IgG+cells within the portal tracts of PBC liver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased titers of serum IgG-AMA are associated with biochemical response to UDCA treatment, implicating the potentiality of this hallmark in therapeutic response evaluation and the beneficial effect of UDCA on humoral immunity in PBC patients.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Libo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ruihua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xuanqiu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Weibin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jinhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Youfu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yongyin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jinlin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000032:analysis; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1
keywords: antimitochondrial antibody; primary biliary cholangitis; ursodeoxycholic acid