Genome-wide association study identifies a susceptibility locus for biliary atresia on 10q24.2.

ABSTRACT: Biliary atresia (BA) is characterized by the progressive fibrosclerosing obliteration of the extrahepatic biliary system during the first few weeks of life. Despite early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention, the disease progresses to cirrhosis in many patients. The current theory for the pathogenesis of BA proposes that during the perinatal period, a still unknown exogenous factor meets the innate immune system of a genetically predisposed individual and induces an uncontrollable and potentially self-limiting immune response, which becomes manifest in liver fibrosis and atresia of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Genetic factors that could account for the disease, let alone for its high incidence in Chinese, are to be investigated. To identify BA susceptibility loci, we carried out a ge

SUBMITTER: Garcia-Barcelo MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2893814 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature