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Czaja AJ. Incorporating the Molecular Mimicry of Environmental Antigens into the Causality of Autoimmune Hepatitis. Dig Dis Sci 2023:10.1007/s10620-023-07967-5. [PMID: 37160542 PMCID: PMC10169207 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-023-07967-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Molecular mimicry between foreign and self-antigens has been implicated as a cause of autoimmune hepatitis in experimental models and cross-reacting antibodies in patients. This review describes the experimental and clinical evidence for molecular mimicry as a cause of autoimmune hepatitis, indicates the limitations and uncertainties of this premise, and encourages investigations that assess diverse environmental antigens as sources of disease-relevant molecular mimics. Pertinent articles were identified in PubMed using multiple search phrases. Several pathogens have linear or conformational epitopes that mimic the self-antigens of autoimmune hepatitis. The occurrence of an acute immune-mediated hepatitis after vaccination for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has suggested that vaccine-induced peptides may mimic disease-relevant tissue antigens. The intestinal microbiome is an under-evaluated source of gut-derived antigens that could also engage in molecular mimicry. Chaperone molecules may enhance the pathogenicity of molecular mimics, and they warrant investigation. Molecular mimics of immune dominant epitopes within cytochrome P450 IID6, the autoantigen most closely associated with autoimmune hepatitis, should be sought in diverse environmental antigens and assessed for pathogenicity. Avoidance strategies, dietary adjustments, vaccine improvement, and targeted manipulation of the intestinal microbiota may emerge as therapeutic possibilities. In conclusion, molecular mimicry may be a missing causality of autoimmune hepatitis. Molecular mimics of key immune dominant epitopes of disease-specific antigens must be sought in diverse environmental antigens. The ubiquity of molecular mimicry compels rigorous assessments of peptide mimics for immunogenicity and pathogenicity in experimental models. Molecular mimicry may complement epigenetic modifications as causative mechanisms of autoimmune hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert J Czaja
- Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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Ekpanyapong S, Reddy KR. Liver and Biliary Tract Disease in Patients with Coronavirus disease-2019 Infection. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 2023; 52:13-36. [PMID: 36813421 PMCID: PMC9531659 DOI: 10.1016/j.gtc.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) had become a global pandemic since March 2020. Although, the most common presentation is of pulmonary involvement, hepatic abnormalities can be encountered in up to 50% of infected individuals, which may be associated with disease severity, and the mechanism of liver injury is thought to be multifactorial. Guidelines for management in patients with chronic liver disease during COVID-19 era are being regularly updated. Patients with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, including liver transplant candidates and liver transplant recipients are strongly recommended to receive SARS-CoV-2 vaccination because it can reduce rate of COVID-19 infection, COVID-19-related hospitalization, and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirina Ekpanyapong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Huachiew General Hospital, 665 Bumroongmueang Road, Khlong Mahanak, Bangkok 10100, Thailand; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2 Dulles, Liver Transplant Office, HUP3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - K Rajender Reddy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2 Dulles, Liver Transplant Office, HUP3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Baldelli L, Marjot T, Barnes E, Barritt AS, Webb GJ, Moon AM. SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Liver Disease: A Review of Pathogenesis and Outcomes. Gut Liver 2023; 17:12-23. [PMID: 36457261 PMCID: PMC9840920 DOI: 10.5009/gnl220327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been immense, and it continues to have lasting repercussions. While the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus primarily infects the respiratory system, other organ systems are affected, including the liver. Scientific knowledge on the role of SARS-CoV-2 infection and liver injury has evolved rapidly, with recent data suggesting specific hepatotropism of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, additional concerns have been raised in regard to long-term liver damage, related to emerging cases of post-COVID-19 cholangiopathy and chronic cholestasis. Great effort has also been focused on studying how specific subpopulations with chronic medical conditions might be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. One such population includes individuals with chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis, with an expanding body of research indicating these patients being particularly susceptible to adverse outcomes. In this review, we provide an updated summary on the current pathogenesis and mechanism of liver injury in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the association between health outcomes and SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with CLD, and the unique consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the routine care of patients with CLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Baldelli
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas Marjot
- Oxford Liver Unit, Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Eleanor Barnes
- Oxford Liver Unit, Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - A. Sidney Barritt
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gwilym J. Webb
- Cambridge Liver Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew M. Moon
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Wong CKH, Mak LY, Au ICH, Lai FTT, Li X, Wan EYF, Chui CSL, Chan EWY, Cheng WY, Cheng FWT, Yuen MF, Wong ICK. Risk of acute liver injury following the mRNA (BNT162b2) and inactivated (CoronaVac) COVID-19 vaccines. J Hepatol 2022; 77:1339-1348. [PMID: 35817224 PMCID: PMC9376738 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Case reports of severe acute liver injury (ALI) following COVID-19 vaccination have recently been published. We evaluated the risks of ALI following COVID-19 vaccination (BNT162b2 or CoronaVac). METHODS We conducted a modified self-controlled case series analysis using the vaccination records in Hong Kong with data linkage to electronic medical records from a territory-wide healthcare database. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for ALI outcome in the 56-day period following first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines in comparison to the non-exposure period were estimated and compared to the ALI risk in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS Among 2,343,288 COVID-19 vaccine recipients who were at risk, 4,677 patients developed ALI for the first time between 23rd February 2021 to 30th September 2021. The number of ALI cases within 56 days after the first and second dose of vaccination were 307 and 521 (335 and 334 per 100,000 person-years) for BNT162b2, and 304 and 474 (358 and 403 per 100,000 person-years) for CoronaVac, respectively, compared to 32,997 ALI cases per 100,000 person-years among patients within 56 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Compared to the non-exposure period, no increased risk was observed in the 56-day risk period for first (IRR 0.800; 95% CI 0.680-0.942) and second (IRR 0.944; 95% CI 0.816-1.091) dose of BNT162b2, or first (IRR 0.689; 95% CI 0.588-0.807) and second (IRR 0.905; 95% CI 0.781-1.048) dose of CoronaVac. There were no severe or fatal cases of ALI following COVID-19 vaccination. CONCLUSION There was no evidence of an increased risk of ALI associated with BNT162b2 or CoronaVac vaccination. Based on all current available evidence from previous studies and our study, the benefit of mass vaccination far outweighs the ALI risk from vaccination. LAY SUMMARY There have been some recent reports that COVID-19 vaccination could be associated with acute liver injury. In our study, we found no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination increased the risk of acute liver injury, which was much more common after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after vaccination. Hence, our study provides further data indicating that the benefits of mass COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the potential risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos King Ho Wong
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lung Yi Mak
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ivan Chi Ho Au
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Francisco Tsz Tsun Lai
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xue Li
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China,Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Eric Yuk Fai Wan
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Celine Sze Ling Chui
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China,School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Esther Wai Yin Chan
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wing Yiu Cheng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Franco Wing Tak Cheng
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Man Fung Yuen
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ian Chi Kei Wong
- Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D(2)4H), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China; Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK; Aston School of Pharmacy, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
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Codoni G, Kirchner T, Engel B, Villamil AM, Efe C, Stättermayer AF, Weltzsch JP, Sebode M, Bernsmeier C, Lleo A, Gevers TJG, Kupčinskas L, Castiella A, Pinazo J, De Martin E, Bobis I, Sandahl TD, Pedica F, Invernizzi F, Del Poggio P, Bruns T, Kolev M, Semmo N, Bessone F, Giguet B, Poggi G, Ueno M, Jang H, Elpek GÖ, Soylu NK, Cerny A, Wedemeyer H, Vergani D, Mieli-Vergani G, Lucena MI, Andrade RJ, Zen Y, Taubert R, Beretta-Piccoli BT. Histological and serological features of acute liver injury after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. JHEP Rep 2022; 5:100605. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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