Abstract
Autoimmune diseases affecting the liver are mainly represented by autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The characteristic morphologic patterns of injury are a chronic hepatitis pattern of damage in AIH, destruction of small intrahepatic bile ducts in PBC and periductal fibrosis and inflammation involving larger bile ducts in PSC. The factors responsible for initiation and perpetuation of the injury in all the three autoimmune liver diseases are not understood completely but are likely to be environmental triggers on the background of genetic variation in immune regulation. In this review, we summarise the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the breakdown of self-tolerance in autoimmune liver diseases.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 553-568 |
Journal | Seminars in immunopathology |
Volume | 36 |
Issue number | 5 |
Early online date | 1 Aug 2014 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sept 2014 |
Keywords
- Animals
- Autoimmune Diseases
- Disease Models, Animal
- Humans
- Liver Diseases