• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.347-350
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• 2018

Drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis (DIAIH) is an increasingly recognized form of drug-induced liver injury that leads to a condition similar to idiopathic autoimmune hepatitis. A number of drugs have been associated with DIAIH, minocycline is one of the most well characterized. Minocycline is a semisynthetic tetracycline antibiotic used in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Minocycline-induced autoimmune hepatitis presents with serologic and histologic features similar to idiopathic autoimmune hepatitis. However, the natural history and outcomes of these two conditions differ significantly. The majority of patients with minocycline-induced autoimmune hepatitis experience complete resolution of symptoms after withdrawal of the medication. Some patients may require a short course of steroids and rarely use of an immunomodulator to achieve resolution of disease. Recurrence of symptoms is rare and typically only occurs with reintroduction of minocycline. It is important for primary care providers to consider minocycline-induced autoimmune hepatitis when liver injury develops during minocycline therapy.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.154-163
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• 2021

Purpose: In children overlap of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary sclerosing cholangitis is labelled as autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (ASC). The only prospective pediatric study showed a high prevalence of ASC by using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Aims of our study were to find the prevalence of ASC by using magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) in AIH and in non-AIH cirrhosis and to compare clinical presentation and outcome of AIH and ASC. Methods: Prospectively we did MRC in 38 children with AIH (cases) and 19 disease controls (Wilson disease). Multiple biliary strictures with proximal dilatation on MRC were taken as definitive changes of ASC. Detail clinical, laboratory parameters, liver histopathology and treatment outcome were recorded. Results: The median age of cases was 11.5 (3-18) years, 22 (57.9%) were girls and 28 (73.7%) were diagnosed as type 1 AIH. MRC was done in 11 children (28.9%) at the time of diagnosis and in 27 (71.1%) after a median follow-up of 2.5 (0.3-10) years. Abnormal MRC changes were seen in 14/38 (36.8%) of AIH and 8/19 (42.1%) of controls. However, definite changes of ASC were present in four (10.5%) children in AIH and none in controls. None of the clinical, laboratory, histological parameters and treatment response were significantly different between ASC and AIH groups. Conclusion: The prevalence of ASC in children with AIH was just 10.5%. We suggest MRC in select group with cholestatic features, inflammatory bowel disease and in those who showed poor response to immunosuppression instead of all children with AIH.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.180-187
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• 2020

Giant cell hepatitis with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA) is a rare disease of infancy characterized by the presence of both Coombs-positive hemolytic anemia and progressive liver disease with giant cell transformation of hepatocytes. Here, we report a case involving a seven-month-old male infant who presented with AHA followed by cholestatic hepatitis. The clinical features included jaundice, pallor, and red urine. Physical examination showed generalized icterus and splenomegaly. The laboratory findings suggested warm-type AHA with cholestatic hepatitis. Liver biopsy revealed giant cell transformation of hepatocytes and moderate lobular inflammation. The patient was successfully treated with four doses of rituximab. Early relapse of hemolytic anemia and hepatitis was observed, which prompted the use of an additional salvage dose of rituximab. He is currently in clinical remission.

• 혜화의학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.11-23
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• 2011

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus(SLE) is an autoimmune disease invading the skin, joint, kidney, intestinal membrane, neurosystem and other organs. SLE is an autoimmune disease characterized by immune dysregulation resulting in the production of antinuclear antibodies(ANA), generation of circulating immune complexes, and activation of the complement system. In Korean medicine, lupus can be classified as acute arthritis, reddish butterfly erythema, asthenic disease, edema and so on. The cause and procedure of the diseases are flourishing noxious heat, excessive fire due to deficiency of yin, blood stasis due to stagnation of qi, internal movement of the liver-wind, congenital deficiency, exhausted vital-qi, which are treated by clearing away heat and cooling the blood, nourshing yin and extinguishing fire, treating flatulence and activating blood circulation, nourishing the blood to expel wind, invigorating the liver and kidney, invigorating qi and replenishing the blood. To experimentally examine the influence of Insam-Buja-Tang (Ginseng & Aconiti Extract, IBT) on the outbreak and development of lupus, lupus induce MRL/MpJ-Faslpr lupus-prone mice model was used. As IBT was orally administrated to a lupus model mouse, various tests such as the weight, urine protein, renal function, Lymph cell test of the spleen, Cytokine expression, histopathological analysis of kideny were performed to see the influence on the kidney and whether it work effectively on the immune function. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of IBT on MRL/MpJ-Faslpr lupus-prone mice model. The effect of IBT on MRL/MpJ-Faslpr lupus-prone mice that can have autoimmune disease similar to SLE in human was evaluated after IBT per oral in the present study.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.186-196
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• 2004

목적: 자가면역성 간염은 원인 불명의 진행성 염증성 간질환으로 혈중 자가항체의 출현과 고감마글로불린혈증, 그리고 조직학적으로 문맥주위 염증을 특징으로 한다. 소아에서는 산발적인 증례 보고가 있었으나 국내에서는 아직까지 체계적인 연구가 없었다. 이에 저자들은 소아에서 자가면역성 간염의 임상적, 조직학적 소견과 치료 경과 및 예후에 대해 알아보고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방법: 1990년부터 2004년까지 서울대학교 어린이병원에서 자가면역성 간염으로 진단되었던 14명의 환자들의 임상적 특징, 혈액 검사 소견 및 간 조직 검사 소견을 분석하였다. 또한 이들 환자들에게 시행된 치료 약제 및 치료에의 반응, 그리고 재발 여부 등 치료 경과를 조사하였다. 결과: 대상 환자 14명의 진단시 연령은 평균 $9{\pm}3$세였다. 여자가 11명으로 전체의 78%를 차지하였고, 6명에서 급성 발병을 보였다. 임상 증상으로는 황달이 11명에서 호소하여 가장 흔하였으며, 이 외에도 피로감, 식욕부진, 진한색 소변, 상복부 불쾌감, 잦은 코피, 오심, 소양감 및 설사가 동반되었다. 신체 검진 소견에서는 간비종대가 흔하게 나타났다. 6명의 환자에서 다른 자가면역성 질환이 동반되었고 1명에서는 일등친 중 그레이브스병의 병력이 있었다. 혈중 자가항체 검사 결과 13명에서 항핵 항체가 양성으로 나왔으며 항핵 항체가 음성으로 나왔던 1명은 항평활근 항체가 양성으로 나와 대상 환자 모두가 제1형 자가면역성 간염에 해당되었다. 7명에서는 항핵 항체와 항평활근 항체가 모두 양성으로 나왔다. 혈청 IgG는 평균 $2971{\pm}2147mg/dL$였고, AST는 평균 $469{\pm}402\;U/L$, 총 빌리루빈은 평균 $4.9{\pm}5.5mg/dL$였다. 간 조직 검사 소견으로는 문맥 주위의 염증(10명), 간세포의 로제트 형성(3명), 소엽의 염증(6명)이 흔하게 나타났고 2명에서는 진단 당시 이미 조직학적으로 간경변이 동반되었다. 대상 환자 14명 중 6명은 UDCA만 사용하며 관찰 중 간수치가 호전되었고 나머지 8명에게는 스테로이드 치료가 시행되었다. 이중 7명이 초기 스테로이드 치료시 관해를 보였으나 스테로이드를 감량하거나 중지시 재발하였다. 스테로이드 재치료가 시행되었고 3명은 스테로이드 감량 중 관해 유지 중이고 2명은 azathioprine으로 관해 유지 중이다. 결론: 자가 면역성 간염은 원인 불명의 소아 만성 간 질환의 원인 중 하나이며, 적절한 치료로 예후가 개선될 수 있는 간질환이다. 그러므로 특히 여아에서 고감마글로블린혈증을 보이거나 다른 자가면역성 질환이 동반될 경우 자가면역성 간염을 의심하여 자가항체 선별 검사를 시행하고 적절한 진단 및 치료를 시행하는 것이 중요하리라고 생각된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권12호
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• pp.906-918
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• 2019

MicroRNA-223-3p (miR-223-3p) is one of the potential microRNAs that have been shown to alleviate inflammatory responses in pre-clinical investigations and is highly encased in exosomes derived from bone mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-exosomes). MSC-exosomes are able to function as carriers to deliver microRNAs into cells. Autoimmune hepatitis is one of the challenging liver diseases with no effective treatment other than steroid hormones. Here, we examined whether MSC-exosomes can transfer miR-223-3p to treat autoimmune hepatitis in an experimental model. We found that MSC-exosomes were successfully incorporated with miR-223-3p and delivered miR-223-3p into macrophages. Moreover, there was no toxic effect of exosomes on the macrophages. Furthermore, treatments of either exosomes or exosomes with miR-223-3p successfully attenuated inflammatory responses in the liver of autoimmune hepatitis and inflammatory cytokine release in both the liver and macrophages. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of miR-223-3p level and STAT3 expression in the liver and macrophages. These results suggest that MSC-exosomes can be used to deliver miR-223-3p for the treatment of autoimmune hepatitis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.89-93
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• 2018

Idiopathic non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (INCPH) is a disease with an uncertain etiology consisting of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension and portal pressure increase in the absence of liver cirrhosis. In INCPH, patients exhibit normal liver functions and structures. The factors associated with INCPH include the following: Umbilical/portal pyremia, bacterial diseases, prothrombic states, chronic exposure to arsenic, vinyl chloride monomers, genetic disorders, and autoimmune diseases. Approximately 70% of patients present a history of major variceal bleeding, and treatment relies on the prevention of complications related to portal hypertension. Autoimmune disorders associated with INCPH are mainly systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. To the best of our knowledge, a case of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) associated with INCPH has not been reported thus far. Therfore, we report our experience of a patient with AS accompanied by INCPH, who showed perisplenic varices with patent spleno-portal axis and hepatic veins along with no evidence of cirrhosis on liver biopsy, and provide a brief literature review.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.63-71
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• 2020

Purpose: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic disease that may lead to cirrhosis. The immunopathogenesis of AIH is not fully understood and it mainly involves T-cell mediated mechanism. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that promotes T cell response and its polymorphism may serve as a severity marker of AIH. No previous study has considered investigating MIF polymorphism in children with AIH. Methods: Forty-two children with definite diagnosis of AIH were enrolled along with 100 age and sex matched controls. All participants were tested for polymorphism at -173GC (rs755622) of MIF gene. All patients received the standard protocol of steroid plus azathioprine to achieve remission. Liver biopsy was performed at time of diagnosis for all patients and only 18 of them underwent a second biopsy after treatment. Results: No statistically significant differences in the frequency of the genotypes GG and GC or in allele distribution were found in both patient and control groups (p=0.590, 0.640 respectively). Initial alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels at the time of presentation was significantly higher in the GC group than GG group (p=0.020). GC genotype significantly correlated with disease relapse (r=0.41, p=0.007). Regression of necroinflammation and the fibrosis score in the second liver biopsy was statistically significant in the GG group (p<0.0001, p=0.010 respectively). Conclusion: MIF -173GC polymorphism is associated with clinically significant markers of pediatric AIH, including increased initial serum ALT levels, may help predict necroinflammatory/fibrosis regression effectively, following immunosuppressive treatment.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.3-9
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• 2001

In the view of oriental medicine, the liver is the general of the army in its function of protecting against the enemy. So this concept is very closely associated to the immunological function. Its relations with immunological function are as follows. 1. The liver produces most of the proteins and converts them with hepatocytes, composes 80% in total reticuloendothelial system with Kuffer cells & endothelial cells and has typical structure of sinusoidal vessels closely related with the blood system. 2. The liver plays an important role in innate immunity with Kuffer cells as well as with the molecules that the liver produces, related to complementary systems. 3. In the embryonic period, the liver is associated with immune associated cell growth and their maturation. After birth, it is associated with removing old red blood cells and with systematically modulating immune system through hormone metabolism. 4. The liver controls the autoimmune disease resulting from immune complex by removing molecules like immune complex. 5. In the processing of blood 19A from the digestive system, the liver has an important role in protecting the body from unnecessary immune responses. 6. In the oriental medical view, liver plays a major role in the immune function by storing blood and dispersing stagnated hepatoqi with the help of the kidneys and spleen.

• 대한이식학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.157-169
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• 2017

Regulatory T cells (Treg) naturally rein in immune attacks, and they can inhibit rejection of transplanted organs and even reverse the progression of autoimmune diseases in mice. The initial safety trials of Treg against graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) provided evidence that the adoptive transfer of Treg is safe and capable of limiting disease progression. Supported by such evidence, numerous clinical trials have been actively investigating the efficacy of Treg targeting autoimmune diseases, type I diabetes, and organ transplant rejection, including kidney and liver. The limited quantity of Treg cells harvested from peripheral blood and subsequent in vitro culture have posed a great challenge to large-scale clinical application of Treg; nevertheless, the concept of CAR (chimeric antigen receptor)-Treg has emerged as a potential resolution to the problem. Recently, two CAR-T therapies, tisagenlecleucel and axicabtagene ciloleucel, were approved by the US FDA for the treatment of refractory or recurrent acute lymhoblastic leukemia. This approval could serve as a guideline for the production protocols for other genetically engineered T cells for clinical use as well. The phase I and II clinical trials of these agents has demonstrated that genetically engineered and antigen-targeting T cells are safe and efficacious in humans. In conclusion, both the promising results of Treg cell therapy from the clinical studies and the recent FDA approval of CAR-T therapies are paving the way for CAR-Treg therapy in clinical use.