[Primary biliary cirrhosis--cellular mechanisms and role of enterobacterial antigens]

The nature of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is still unknown. In this study the diagnostic value of the expression of MHC proteins and adhesion molecules in bile duct epithelia, the different amount of inflammatory cells around the bile ductules and the evidence of enterobacterial antigens were tested in liver tissue of patients with PBC, chronic hepatitis B and C, autoimmune hepatitis and cellular or ductopenic liver transplant rejection. There was a significant difference according MHC and adhesion molecules between PBC and rejections at the one and the cases of chronic hepatitis at the other hand. According to inflammatory infiltrate there was no difference. The enterobacterial antigen lipid-A was found more often in centrolobular hepatocytes of PBC/PSC cases but not in the portal bile duct region. The possible pathogenetic role of enterobacterial antigens in the disease are discussed.