Pathological contact between immune cells and the liver causes serious damage to the organ. This interaction can be blocked, thus preventing diseases requiring liver transplantation. This is reported by the authors of a study published in the journal. Gastroenterology.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a serious chronic disease in which the bile ducts become inflamed. They are responsible for the secretion of bile (needed for the breakdown of fats) from the liver to the small intestine. Violation of the outflow of bile and its accumulation in the liver causes serious damage to the organ. There is no effective treatment for PSC, so the disease is considered an indication for liver transplantation.
PSC is known to be an autoimmune disease, but the exact cause of its development is unknown, making drug development difficult. In 2021, authors of a new paper discovered a genetic mutation in a family in which several members had PSC. In the new study, they created genetically modified mice with this mutation. This made it possible to study previously unknown mechanisms of disease development.
The study found that mutation carriers experienced inflammation following a specific interaction between immune cells and cells lining the bile ducts. Scientists believe that if they can block this interaction, they can stop the development of PSC and prevent liver damage. They also suggest that the same interaction is responsible for liver inflammation in PSC in people without the genetic mutation, meaning that the potential drug would not only be useful for the inherited form.
Scientists have previously successfully tested Magnetic microbots on pigs for cancer treatment.