Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Autoimmune Hepatitis

Abstract

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a prototypical autoimmune disease, characterized by robust genetic associations with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, female predominance, and presence of serum autoantibodies; yet all AIH cases are not the same. This heterogeneous disease affects all population demographics and can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver transplantation depending on the diagnosis, treatment, and response to therapy. Similar to other autoimmune diseases, AIH is a result of immune intolerance and failure of immunological homeostasis. The etiology remains largely unresolved but is likely the result of various environmental exposures in the background of a permissive genetic architecture.