Peripheral blood T, B lymphocytes and NK cells in primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease with progressive destruction of the bile ducts and cholestasis. The most of epithelial cells in the bile ducts has molecule MHC I and II class expression which induced intensive immunological reaction and produced antimitochondrial autoantibodies (AMA). It leads to the destruction of own cells in PBC. The main part in the development of the disease have T cells, B cells, and NK cells. We analyzed subpopulation of lymphocytes in peripheral blood in 16 patients with PBC by flow cytometry. We noted statistically significant increase of NK CD16+ + CD56+ cell value and activated T CD3+ + HLA DR+ cell value in peripheral blood in PBC. Slightly increase in the value of CD4+ cells and slightly decreased CD8+ cell value were observed. However, the CD4/CD8 ratio was elevated statistically and it was 2.3 (healthy subjects--1.7). Lymphocyte T and B subpopulations remained normal. The results showed that the main role in PBC is played by NK cells and activated T cells.