| Theme |
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis : update 2003 |
| Title |
Immune Response to Mitochondrial Antigens in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis |
| Author |
Minoru Nakamura |
Clinical Research Center, National Nagasaki Medical Center |
| Author |
Shinji Shimoda |
Clinical Research Center, National Nagasaki Medical Center |
| Author |
Hiromi Ishibashi |
Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences |
| [ Summary ] |
The E2 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC-E2) is the immunodominant autoantigen in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). B cell epitopes, helper T cells and cytotoxic T cell epitopes were all identified in the inner lipoyl domain of PDC-E2 by using epitope mapping of the patient's sera, human monoclonal antibodies to PDC-E2 and CD4+and CD8+T cell clones specific for PDC-E2, respectively. Thus, this PDC-E2 region is considered to be a potential target for epitope-specific immunotherapy in PBC. Furthermore, various mimicry peptides derived from bacterial proteins were identified that activate T cells specific for PDC-E2 163-176, indicating that bacterial infection is a possible cause to activate autoreactive T cells in PBC. |