Bacteria and Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Bacteria and Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

AU - Bogdanos, Dimitrios P.

AU - Vergani, Diego

PY - 2009/2

Y1 - 2009/2

N2 - Infectious agents have been postulated to play a pathogenic role in the loss of immunological tolerance and the induction of primary biliary cirrhosis, an immune-mediated cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive destruction of the small intrahepatic bile ducts and subsequent cirrhosis and liver failure. This review discusses emerging issues implicating infectious agents such as Escherichia coli, mycobacteria, chlamydia, helicobacter species, lactobacilli, Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, and betaretroviruses in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis. We also review the immunopathological mechanisms responsible for the induction of the disease with special emphasis on the role of molecular mimicry and microbial/self immunological cross-reactivity.

AB - Infectious agents have been postulated to play a pathogenic role in the loss of immunological tolerance and the induction of primary biliary cirrhosis, an immune-mediated cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive destruction of the small intrahepatic bile ducts and subsequent cirrhosis and liver failure. This review discusses emerging issues implicating infectious agents such as Escherichia coli, mycobacteria, chlamydia, helicobacter species, lactobacilli, Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, and betaretroviruses in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis. We also review the immunopathological mechanisms responsible for the induction of the disease with special emphasis on the role of molecular mimicry and microbial/self immunological cross-reactivity.

U2 - 10.1007/s12016-008-8087-9

DO - 10.1007/s12016-008-8087-9

M3 - Literature review

VL - 36

SP - 30

EP - 39

JO - Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology

JF - Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology

IS - 1

ER -