摘要
Primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC)is a chronic cholestatic liver disease for which an autoimmune pathogenesis is supported by clinical and experimental data,including the presence of autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells.The etiology remains to be determined,yet data suggest that both a susceptible genetic background and unknown environmental factors determine disease onset.Multiple infectious and chemical candidates have been proposed to trigger the disease in a genetically susceptible host,mostly by molecular mimicry.Most recently,several murine models have been reported,including genetically determined models as well as models induced by immunization with xenobiotics and bacteria.
