Mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex subunits as autoantigens in human primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis is an evolutive and chronic human liver disease characterized by presence of antimitochondrial autoantibodies in the serum. We present the biochemical definition of these autoantigens and show that purified pyruvate dehydrogenase complex contains three of the major mitochondrial antigens of M2 type i.e. the E2 subunit (dihydrolipoamide acetyl transferase), the X subunit and the E1 alpha subunit (pyruvate dehydrogenase), by immunoblotting experiments and inhibition of enzyme activity with several types of serums.