Experimental chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis in rabbits following immunization with bile duct antigen

Experimental chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis induced in rabbits following immunization with bile duct antigen. Histological changes similar to chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis were induced in rabbits by sensitization with antigen prepared from bovine gallbladder mucous membrane. The occurrence of these pathological changes was significantly higher in female animals than in males: 11 out of 14 female rabbits and 4 among 11 male rabbits exhibited histological changes. Immunoprecipitation using gel-diffusion and histological analysis by an immunofluorescence technique showed that this antigen was localized exclusively in the bile duct but not in either hepatocytes or other tissues. It is suggested that histological changes induced following immunization with bile duct antigen are specific immunological phenomena. This interesting experimental model may be helpful in explaining the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis.