Abstract
Within the last decade, several mouse models that manifest characteristic features
of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) with antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) and immune-mediated
biliary duct pathology have been reported. Here, the authors discuss the current findings
on two spontaneous (nonobese diabetic autoimmune biliary disease [NOD.ABD] and dominant
negative transforming growth factor-β receptor II [dnTGFβRII]) and two induced (chemical
xenobiotics and microbial immunization) models of PBC. These models exhibit the serological,
immunological, and histopathological features of human PBC. From these animal models,
it is evident that the etiology of PBC is multifactorial and requires both specific
genetic predispositions and environmental insults (either xenobiotic chemicals or
microbial), which lead to the breaking of tolerance and eventually liver pathology.
Human PBC is likely orchestrated by multiple factors and hence no single model can
fully mimic the immunopathophysiology of human PBC. Nevertheless, knowledge gained
from these models has greatly advanced our understanding of the major immunological
pathways as well as the etiology of PBC.
Keywords
antimitochondrial antibodies - cholangiocytes - dnTGFBRII - intrahepatic bile ducts
- NOD.ABD - xenobiotics - microbial immunization