Clinical Significance of Autoantibodies to P53 Protein in Patients with Autoimmune Liver Diseases

Abstract

Mutations in the p53 gene leading to conformational changes in the p53 protein have been well established in many human cancers. Conformational changes and/or cellular accumulation of the protein may induce an immune response, resulting in circulating autoantibodies to p53, which have been documented in several types of cancers. Although rarely associated with autoimmune disease, a few reports have documented titres of anti-p53 autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis. The clinical relevance of circulating autoantibodies to p53, therefore, remains unclear. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the prevalence and clinical relevance of anti-p53 autoantibodies in patients with selected autoimmune liver diseases.