MicroRNAs link inflammation and primary biliary cholangitis

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune slowly progressive liver disease characterized by the destruction of intrahepatic bile ducts, which gradually evolves into cirrhosis and liver failure (1). Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the first choice for the treatment of PBC patients and has shown to significantly reduce the need for liver transplantation (2). The precise aetiology of PBC is not known, but is considered to be related to a combination of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors.