biostudies-literatureZhou XAmerican Liver FoundationNIDDK NIH HHSNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseasesNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaNational Institutes of HealthNIH HHSe70525https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12848849biostudies-literatureUnknown46(3)<h4>Background and aims</h4>Immune-mediated bile duct injury is the primary histological feature of autoimmune cholestatic liver diseases. Macrophages, the most abundant immune cell population in the liver, have been postulated to play a critical role in biliary repair. However, it is unclear whether activated macrophages interact with injured biliary epithelial cells.<h4>Methods</h4>We evaluated the expression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 4 (IGFBP4) in primary monocytes, MDMΦ, serum, and liver tissue sections from a total of 292 samples from PBC, PSC, and healthy controls using RNA-sequencing, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry analysis. The signal pathways involved in the effect of IGFBP4 in human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells were examined by phospho-kinase arrays.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the LiverIGFBP4 is a Metric for Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Attenuates Biliary Epithelial Cell Injury.PMC12848849RO1 DK123262822020002018R01 DK123262Leung PSCAnsari AAYang DZhou XCheng ZRidgway WMZhang WBowlus CLTanaka TInvernizzi PTsuneyama KShao SGershwin MEfalseIGFBP4 is a Metric for Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Attenuates Biliary Epithelial Cell Injury.<h4>Background and aims</h4>Immune-mediated bile duct injury is the primary histological feature of autoimmune cholestatic liver diseases. Macrophages, the most abundant immune cell population in the liver, have been postulated to play a critical role in biliary repair. However, it is unclear whether activated macrophages interact with injured biliary epithelial cells.<h4>Methods</h4>We evaluated the expression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 4 (IGFBP4) in primary monocytes, MDMΦ, serum, and liver tissue sections from a total of 292 samples from PBC, PSC, and healthy controls using RNA-sequencing, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry analysis. The signal pathways involved in the effect of IGFBP4 in human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells were examined by phospho-kinase arrays.2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Mar2026-06-09T05:44:13.302Z2026-06-09T03:07:44.372ZS-EPMC128488494160328110.1111/liv.70525