Immunomodulating effect of ursodeoxycholic acid therapy in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

Peripheral blood lymphocytes of 22 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis under ursodeoxycholic acid therapy were examined for selected lymphocyte activation markers. The percentage of dipeptidyl peptidase IV positive Peripheral blood lymphocytes of primary biliary cirrhosis patients by using immune- and enzyme-histochemical staining was found to be low (5-12%), with healthy controls exhibiting a normal range of 18-27%. After pokeweed mitogen stimulation in vitro the interleukin-2 production by peripheral blood lymphocytes in primary biliary cirrhosis patients was significantly decreased (3.135 pg/ml mean value), compared to healthy subjects (61.167 pg/ml mean value). After 4-20 weeks ursodeoxycholic acid treatment the dipeptidyl peptidase IV expression and IL-2 production were normalised. These results provide evidence for the immunomodulating effect of ursodeoxycholic acid.