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Nature Reviews Immunology 8, 493 (1 July 2008) | doi:10.1038/nri2370

Autoimmunity: NKT cells linked to immune tolerance breakdown

Lucy Bird

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic lethal autoimmune disease in humans characterized by the destruction of small bile ducts in the liver and the presence of autoantibodies directed against mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E2 (PDCE2). These autoantibodies crossreact with a homologous enzyme found in ubiquitous commensal α-proteobacteria such as Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, suggesting a link between antimicrobial immunity and liver pathology.