Immunology and Liver

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. Basic mechanisms of autoimmunity

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Autoimmunity and autoaggression

      • B. Arnold

      Pages 3-7

   3. Autoantibodies to insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma

      • E. M. Tan, J.-Y. Zhang, E. K. L. Chan

      Pages 8-15

   4. Migration of microsomal autoantigens to the hepatocyte plasma membrane

      • D. Pessayre, V. Descatoire, P. Dansette, J. Loeper, A. Berson, M.-A. Robin

      Pages 16-34

   5. Caspase-10 mutations in the autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome type II

      • J. Wang, M. J. Lenardo

      Pages 35-45

   6. Mechanisms of virus-induced autoimmune disease

      • B. Ludewig, P. Aichele, R. M. Zinkernagel, H. Hengartner

      Pages 46-54

3. Definition and spectrum of autoimmune hepatitis

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 55-55

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   2. Definition and classification of autoimmune hepatitis 1999 (on behalf of the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group)

      • I. G. McFarlane

      Pages 57-68

   3. Autoimmune hepatitis in Asia

      • M. Nishioka

      Pages 69-81

   4. Autoimmune hepatitis in South America

      • E. L. R. Cançado, G. Porta

      Pages 82-92

   5. Autoimmune hepatitis in children

      • F. Alvarez

      Pages 93-98

   6. Hepatitis in the polyendocrine syndrome type 1

      • P. Obermayer-Straub, M. P. Manns

      Pages 99-111

4. Pathogenesis of autoimmune liver diseases

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 113-113

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   2. Genetics of autoimmune liver disease

      • P. T. Donaldson

      Pages 115-132

   3. The role of T cells in autoimmune hepatitis

      • D. Vergani, G. Mieli-Vergani

      Pages 133-136

   4. ‘ANCA’ in liver diseases

      • B. Terjung, H. J. Worman

      Pages 137-151

   5. Reactivity of autoimmune hepatitis sera with glutathione S-transferase

      • J. Węsierska-Gądek, E. Penner

      Pages 152-163

5. Drug and hepatitis virus induced autoimmunity

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 165-165

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   2. The cytochrome P450 supergene family: genetic organization and function

      • K. J. Griffin, E. F. Johnson

      Pages 167-179

In 1992, the Falk Symposium No. 70 dealt with the topic `Immunology and Liver'. At that time basic mechanisms of immunology as well as immunopathogenetic mechanisms in viral and autoimmune liver diseases were discussed. Now, 7 years later, the Falk Symposium No. 114, held in Basel, Switzerland, October 20-21 1999 (Part I of the Basel Liver Week 1999), focused on immunology in autoimmune liver diseases. In the first section basic mechanisms of autoimmunity are presented, including the relevance of superantigens and the role of apoptosis. A further topic is the latest developments concerning animal models for autoimmune diseases. Recently the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group newly defined and reclassified the syndrome of autoimmune hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis is now identified and studied in all parts of the world, including Asia and South America. A special variant of autoimmune hepatitis was identified as one organ manifestation of the autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1, a genetic disease caused by mutations in a single transcription factor. Drug- and hepatitis-virus induced immune mediated liver diseases may serve as models for nonhepatic immune mediated disorders. DNA technology has increased our knowledge of the immunogenetic background of autoimmune liver diseases. Among the cholestatic immune mediated liver diseases, significant progress has been made concerning primary biliary cirrhosis, in particular regarding the identification of mitochondrial antigens and the characterisation of the immune reactions directed at them. The involvement of infectious agents in PBC as well as the definition of overlap syndromes is a particular focus for basic and clinical research in this area.
Concerning the therapy of autoimmune liver diseases, corticosteroids and azathioprin remain the state of the art for autoimmune hepatitis, while bile acids have become well established in treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis as wellas primary sclerosing cholangitis. New drugs in the future will include topical steroids such as budesonide and new immunosuppressive agents like mofetil/mycophenolate. Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for end stage liver diseases; all autoimmune liver diseases are among the best candidates for liver transplantation. Hopefully, new therapeutic strategies based on the results obtained from experimental models will become everyday clinical practice in the next decade. Therefore this symposium concludes with a discussion.

• Antigen
• apoptosis
• autoimmune disease
• autoimmunity
• diseases
• gene therapy
• genetics
• hepatitis
• immunology
• liver
• liver disease
• liver transplantation
• proteins
• transplantation
• viral hepatitis
• hepatology

• Abt. Gastroenterologie/Hepatologie Zentrum Innere Medizin, Medizinische Hochscule Hannover, Hannover, Germany

  M. P. Manns

• Medizinische Klinik II, Klinikum Grosshadern der LMU München, München, Germany

  G. Paumgartner

• Abt. Gastroenterologie Zentrum der Innere Medizin, Klinikum der Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany

  U. Leuschner

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