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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Isolation of Neonatal Extrahepatic Cholangiocytes
Published on: June 5, 2014
Immunologic abnormality of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
Hu Yayi1, Wang Danqing, Liu Shuyun
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Problem:
Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a pregnancy risk because of the possibility of pre-term delivery and sudden intrauterine fetal death. Its pathogenesis is still under discussion.
Method Of Study:
The analysis of the recent findings on the complex immunologic events that occur in ICP were performed.
Results:
In ICP, an increase of type 1 cytokine (TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma) associated with a decrease of type 2 cytokine (IL-4). The decreased production of the suppressor cytokine TGF-beta2 may increase the type 1 cytokine. Fas appeared to be increased and FasL appeared to be decreased in syncytiotrophoblasts of ICP. The human leukocyte antigen gene (HLA-G, E) in extravillous trophoblasts of ICP were significantly decreased.
Conclusion:
Th1/Th2 cytokine balance and HLA play important roles in the tolerance and maintenance of pregnancy. ICP may be resulting from breach of the maternal fetal immune tolerance during pregnancy.
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