Catalytic domain of PDC-E2 contains epitopes recognized by antimitochondrial antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis

Table 1 Clinical, biochemical, histological and serological data in 95 patients with PBC (mean ± SD)

Parameters
Females:males	88:7
Age (yr)
mean ± SD	50 ± 9.8
Range	21-70
Biochemical parameters1
AP (U/L) (normal < 120)	453 ± 451
GT (U/L) (normal < 50)	154 ± 143
ASAT (U/L) (normal < 35)	39.4 ± 42.6
ALAT (U/L) (normal < 35)	51 ± 49.3
Cholinesterase (kU/L) (normal > 5)	4.7 ± 1.7
Bilirubin (mg%) (normal < 1.5)	1.62 ± 0.8
Cholesterol (mg/dL) (normal < 200)	251 ± 69
Eosinophils (%) (normal < 4)	3.61 ± 2.36
IgG globulins (mg%) (normal < 1800)	1679 ± 855
IgA globulins (mg%) (normal < 400)	269 ± 158
IgM globulins (mg%) (normal < 280)	416 ± 255
Histological data2
PBC stage I/II (n)	45
PBC stage III/IV (n)	20
Serological data
Antimitochondrial antibodies (number positive)
AMA (IFT) (titer > 1:160)	95
Anti-M2 (ELISA)
Total	95
IgG type	87
IgM type	72
Anti-PDC-E2 (ELISA)
Total	95
Antinuclear antibodies (number positive) (titer > 1:160)
Nuclear dots (sp 100)	16
Nuclear membrane (gp 210)	10
Centromeres	8

¹Referring only to the 65 untreated patients;

²Liver biopsy had been performed in 65 patients; 42 of them were untreated, and of these patients 30 were in stage I/II and 12 in stage III/IV. IFT: Immunofluorescence test; ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; PBC: Primary biliary cirrhosis; PDC-E2: Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E2-component.