Impact of combination antiretroviral therapy in the NOD.c3c4 mouse model of autoimmune biliary disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

The NOD.c3c4 mouse model develops autoimmune biliary disease characterized by spontaneous granulomatous cholangitis, antimitochondrial antibodies and liver failure. This model for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has evidence of biliary infection with mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV), suggesting that the virus may have a role in cholangitis development and progression of liver disease in this mouse model. We tested the hypothesis that MMTV infection is associated with cholangitis in the NOD.c3c4 mouse model by investigating whether antiretroviral therapy impacts on viral levels and liver disease.

Methods

NOD.c3c4 mice were treated with combination antiretroviral therapy. Response to treatment was studied by measuring MMTV RNA in the liver, liver enzyme leve

SUBMITTER: Sharon D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4403978 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature