| First Author | Hahn L | Year | 2020 |
| Journal | Cells | Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 9 | PubMed ID | 32846954 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:313527 | Mgi Id | MGI:6798635 |
| Doi | 10.3390/cells9091949 | Citation | Hahn L, et al. (2020) IL-13 as Target to Reduce Cholestasis and Dysbiosis in Abcb4 Knockout Mice. Cells 9(9):1949 |
| abstractText | The Th2 cytokine IL-13 is involved in biliary epithelial injury and liver fibrosis in patients as well as in animal models. The aim of this study was to investigate IL-13 as a therapeutic target during short term and chronic intrahepatic cholestasis in an Abcb4-knockout mouse model (Abcb4(-/-)). Lack of IL-13 protected Abcb4(-/-) mice transiently from cholestasis. This decrease in serum bile acids was accompanied by an enhanced excretion of bile acids and a normalization of fecal bile acid composition. In Abcb4(-/-)/IL-13(-/-) double knockout mice, bacterial translocation to the liver was significantly reduced and the intestinal microbiome resembled the commensal composition in wild type animals. In addition, 52-week-old Abcb4(-/-)IL-13(-/-) mice showed significantly reduced hepatic fibrosis. Abcb4(-/-) mice devoid of IL-13 transiently improved cholestasis and converted the composition of the gut microbiota towards healthy conditions. This highlights IL-13 as a potential therapeutic target in biliary diseases. |
