Identification of Inflammatory and Fibrotic Biomarkers in PBC and NAFLD Patients

Study Summary

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a progressive autoimmune disease of biliary epithelial cells resulting in biliary cirrhosis. PBC is characterized by a 90% female predominance, high titers of serum anti-mitochondrial autoantibodies (AMA) directed against the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E2 subunit and evidence from both human and murine models suggests that T-cells, particularly cluster of differentiation (CD) 8+ T cells, are key to the destruction of bile ducts. However, clinical trials of classic immunosuppressive drugs including corticosteroids, azathioprine, methotrexate, and tacrolimus have been largely unsuccessful in altering the disease course. This is a single center, prospective, non-treatment study of the role of immune responses in PBC patients. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its more severe form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are common, often "silent" liver diseases. NASH resembles alcoholic liver disease, but occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol. The major feature in NASH is fat in the liver, along with inflammation and fibrosis. NASH can be severe and can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Ten to 20 percent of American have NAFLD with NASH affecting 2 to 5 percent of Americans.

Primary Outcome

Comparison of PBC phenotypes defined by alkaline phosphatase response to treatment and degree of fibrosis determined by transient elastography. In addition, Principle component analysis (PCA) and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) will be used to identify phenotypic subject stratification utilizing both cytokine and gene expression data at baseline. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) will be compared between these classes to determine if there is an association between classes.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• OTHER Clinic visit
• OTHER Baseline visit

Study Locations (1)