Immunoglobulin M Levels Inversely Correlate With CD40 Ligand Promoter Methylation in Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

• DOI: 10.1002/hep.24630
• Publication Date: 2011-09-01T01:06:48Z
• Authors: Ana Lleo; Jieyue Liao; Pietro Invernizzi; Ming Zhao; Francesca Bernuzzi; Le Ma; Gaetana Lanzi; Aftab A. Ansari; Ross L. Coppel; Peng Zhang; Yijun Li; Zhiguang Zhou; Qianjin Lu; Eric M. Gershwin
• Keywords: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

The cross-talk of cluster differentiation (CD)40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) plays a key role in CD4(+) T-cell priming, B-cell terminal maturation, and immunoglobulin (Ig) class-switch recombination. Genetic defects the CD40L lead to disorder characterized by elevated concentrations serum IgM immunodeficiency. Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) characteristically show circulating antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs), liver-infiltrating autoreactive T lymphocytes against mitochondrial antigens, high levels IgM. We hypothesized that may play pathogenesis analyzed genetic epigenetic modifications gene coding for CD8(+) cells isolated from mononuclear PBC patients healthy controls. herein demonstrate significantly lower DNA methylation promoter patients, as compared controls, this decreased was inversely correlated patients.The findings an absence gene, concert suggests environmental factors, rather than genetics, must major PBC.