Liver infiltrating T cells regulate bile acid metabolism in experimental cholangitis

In primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), T cells are likely involved in targeting biliary epithelial cells [1]. Chronic bile duct inflammation leads to cholestasis, biliary fibrosis and potential malignant transformation in the case of PSC [2]. Adaptive immune responses are considered to contribute to early as well as late stages of disease [3]. Numerous genetic risk loci for PBC and PSC were identified that encode for genes involved in adaptive immune responses [4 –6] and portal infiltrates that were predominantly composed of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells have been described in the livers of PBC and PSC patients [7–9].

Source: Journal of Hepatology - June 13, 2019 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Fabian Glaser, Clara John, Bastian Engel, Benedikt H öh, Sören Weidemann, Jan Dieckhoff, Stephanie Stein, Nathalie Becker, Christian Casar, Fenja Amrei Schuran, Björn Wieschendorf, Max Preti, Friederike Jessen, Andre Franke, Antonella Carambia, Ansgar Source Type: research