Autoimmunity in liver diseases

The characterization of B-cell epitopes using a variety of molecular biological tools has served to further a distinction between genuine autoimmune hepatitis and autoimmunity associated with ongoing viral hepatitis (Tables 1 and 2). This has been possible through the identification and characterization of antibody reactivity with a number of antigens belonging to the the cytochrome P450 and UGT1A super families of proteins. As a short-term effect, these studies help to define the regimens of treatment--corticosteroids in genuine AIH, interferon in viral hepatitis--and thus contribute to treatment safety. From the collection of data available, it appears that HDV and HCV infection additionally may be model diseases for virus-associated autoimmunity in humans.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]