Editorial: The association between HLA genes and autoimmune liver diseases

The association between HLA genes and autoimmune liver diseaseThis Research Topic aims to establish the links between HLA and non-HLA genes in autoimmune liver disease (AILD) in a diverse population that is inclusive of different ages, races and ethnicities.This is translational with original research articles as well as state of the art mini-reviews summarizing current knowledge.In this collection, we included four laboratory-based investigations from Asia and Turkey, located Western Asia and southeastern Europe, Southwestern and Far East Asia; and 6 mini-reviews from United States, United Kingdom/Europe, South America and Canada.In a large cohort of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) from China, Huang et al., reported that four disease predisposition HLA genes, DRB1*08:03, DRB1*07:01, DRB1*14:05, and DRB1*14:54 were present in high frequency and majority had already developed cirrhosis, further confirming the link between HLA genes and liver disease severity.In addition, they reported a link between HLA genes and Lactobacillus, indicating possible role of microbiota in disease progression.Mulinacci et al. have focused their work on studying the immunogenetics of PBC, both HLA associated and non-HLA associated in the pre-genome wide association studies (GWAS) and post GWAS eras.The role of environment in increasing the risk of developing PBC was elucidated by studies in North-east of England where there was a higher prevalence in urban areas with strong coal-mining heritage and in New York city clusters of PBC were found in patients living in zip codes that contained or were adjacent to toxic waste sites.They also discuss using Antigen specific immunotolerancetolerogenic vaccines -as well as utilizing nanotechnology to develop tolerogenic immune modifying nanopeptides as a therapeutic strategy in PBC.Using metabolomics, Yang et al., identified inosine as a metabolite with immunomodulatory effects and noted that it was highly altered between DRB1*04:05 positive and negative Chinese patients with AIH.Administration of inosine in a murine model of Con-A induced acute AIH demonstrated its protective effect by attenuating hepatocyte apoptosis, preventing oxidative stress and inhibiting the activation and glycolysis of CD4 pos T effector cells.This may have potential in the development of future therapy of acute AIH.Lapierre and Alvarez discussed how the main genetic Frontiers in Immunology frontiersin.

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