Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a classical autoimmune liver disease for which effective immunomodulatory therapy is lacking. Here we perform meta-analyses of discovery datasets from genome-wide association studies of European subjects (n=2,764 cases and 10,475 controls) followed by validation genotyping in an independent cohort (n=3,716 cases and 4261 controls). We discover and validate six previously unknown risk loci for PBC (Pcombined<5×10−8) and used pathway analysis to identify JAK-STAT/IL12/IL27 signaling and cytokine-cytokine pathways, for which relevant therapies exist.

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PREsTo accurately predicts hepatic decompensation in PSC and exceeds the performance among other widely available, noninvasive prognostic scoring systems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

To further characterize the genetic basis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), we genotyped 2426 PBC patients and 5731 unaffected controls from three independent cohorts using a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array (Immunochip) enriched for autoimmune disease risk loci. Meta-analysis of the genotype data sets identified a novel disease-associated locus near the TNFSF11 gene at 13q14, provided evidence for association at six additional immune-related loci not previously implicated in PBC and confirmed associations at 19 of 22 established risk loci. Results of conditional analyses also provided evidence for multiple independent association signals at four risk loci, with haplotype analyses suggesting independent SNP effects at the 2q32 and 16p13 loci, but complex haplotype driven effects at the 3q25 and 6p21 loci. By imputing classical HLA alleles from this data set, four class II alleles independently contributing to the association signal from this region were identified. Imputation of genotypes at the non-HLA loci also provided additional associations, but none with stronger effects than the genotyped variants. An epistatic interaction between the IL12RB2 risk locus at 1p31and the IRF5 risk locus at 7q32 was also identified and suggests a complementary effect of these loci in predisposing to disease. These data expand the repertoire of genes with potential roles in PBC pathogenesis that need to be explored by follow-up biological studies.

Autoimmune diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) result from failure in the immune mechanisms that establish and maintain self-tolerance. Evidence suggests that these processes are shared among the spectrum of autoimmune syndromes and are likely genetically determined. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) and programmed cell-death 1 (PDCD1) are two genes encoding coinhibitory immunoreceptors that harbor polymorphisms with demonstrated associations to multiple autoimmune disorders. We aimed to assess functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these two genes for association with PBC. SNPs in CTLA4 and PDCD1 were genotyped in 351 PBC patients and 205 controls. Allele and genotype frequencies were evaluated for association with PBC and/or antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) positivity with logistic regression. Haplotypes were inferred with an expectation-maximization algorithm, and allelic interaction was analyzed by logistic regression modeling. Individual SNPs demonstrated no association to PBC. However, the GG genotype of CTLA4 49AG was significantly associated with AMA positivity among the PBC patients. Also, individual SNPs and a haplotype of CTLA4 as well as a rare genotype of the PDCD1 SNP PD1.3 were associated with orthotopic liver transplantation. As well, we identified the influence of an interaction between the putatively autoimmune-protective CTLA4 49AG:CT60 AA haplotype and autoimmune-risk PDCD1 PD1.3 A allele on development of PBC.Conclusion-Our findings illustrate the complex nature of the genetically induced risk of PBC and emphasize the importance of considering definable subphenotypes of disease, such as AMA positivity, or definitive measures of disease severity/progression, like orthotopic liver transplantation, when genetic analyses are being performed. Comprehensive screening of genes involved with immune function will lead to a greater understanding of the genetic component of autoimmunity in PBC while furthering our understanding of the pathogenic properties of this enigmatic disease. Autoimmune diseases are presumed to be the cumulative result of minor variations in the immune mechanisms that establish and maintain self-tolerance. 6 Evidence suggests that some of these processes are shared among auto-immune syndromes, and their impact on mediating autoimmune risk is likely to be genetically determined. 7-9 Thus, it is quite plausible that PBC, a disease overlapping with other autoimmunity and thought to have a strong genetic component, 10 may develop in part because of these shared genetic risks.The inhibition of T-cell activation is one means by which the immune system regulates selftolerance. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) and programmed cell-death 1 (PDCD1) are two genes involved with this process and have been implicated with generalized risk to the development of autoimmunity. 11,12 Both encode coinhibitory immunoreceptors and harbor putatively functional polymorphisms associated with several to multiple autoimmune disorders. 11,12 Recent findings...