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Updated: May 16, 2026

The CYP2D6 Animal Model: How to Induce Autoimmune Hepatitis in Mice
Published on: February 3, 2012
Use of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor in autoimmune hepatitis
Safa Al-Shamma1, Balint Eross, Simon Mclaughlin
1Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Bournemouth, UK. safa.al-shamma@rbch.nhs.uk
Abstract:
A 62-year-old woman with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) failed to sustain remission when steroids were withdrawn from a regimen of steroids and azathioprine (AZA). Thiopurine metabolites revealed elevated 6-MMP (6-methyl mercaptopurine) and low 6-TGN (6-thioguanine nucleotide) consistent with AZA-induced hepatotoxicity. Introducing the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol led to rapid normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and discontinuation of steroids.
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