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Lookup NU author(s): Professor David Jones, Dr Jeremy Palmer, Dr Amanda Robe, Emeritus Professor John Kirby
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Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is characterised by immune-mediated damage to the intra-hepatic biliary epithelial cells (BEC). Immuno-modulatory/suppressive therapy represents, therefore, a logical approach to treatment in this disease. Conventional immuno-suppressive and immuno-modulatory agents suffer from the breadth of their action and/or excessive side effects. Autoreactive responses to pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) have been extensively characterised in PBC, and implicated in target cell damage. The aim of the current study was to study the potential efficacy of an antigen specific approach (oral tolerisation with autoantigen) to modulation of anti-PDC immune responses characteristic of PBC, utilising a mouse model of PDC immuno-reactivity. Groups of SJL/J mice were orally dosed with PDC alone, dosed with carrier only (saline) but systemically sensitised with PDC in adjuvant, or orally dosed with PDC at high (5 mg) or low (0.01 mg) dose and systemically sensitised with PDC. Oral dosing with PDC in isolation had no adverse effects on the animals and did not prime anti-PDC responses at doses below 1 mg. Pre-dosing with PDC at both high and low doses was effective at skewing the phenotype of the T-cell response to PDC induced by subsequent sensitisation away from the disease associated Th-1 phenotype (IL-2 and IFN-γ secreting) and towards a theoretically protective Th-2 phenotype (IL-4 secreting) in a majority of, but not all, animals. No augmentation of Th-1 response was seen in any animal. Although the effects on liver histology remain to established oral tolerisation with PDC holds promise as a novel, antigen specific approach to therapy in PBC.
Author(s): Jones DEJ, Palmer JM, Robe A, Kirby JA
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Autoimmunity
Year: 2002
Volume: 35
Issue: 8
Pages: 537-544
Print publication date: 01/12/2002
ISSN (print): 0891-6934
ISSN (electronic): 1026-7859
Publisher: Informa Healthcare
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0891693021000054084
DOI: 10.1080/0891693021000054084
PubMed id: 12765480
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