Primary biliary cholangitis is a rare autoimmune disease that affects the liver and can progress to cirrhosis. It occurs when the immune system attacks the small bile ducts within the liver. As a result, bile builds up, leading to inflammation and progressive liver damage. Although a first-line treatment exists, 40% of patients do not respond adequately to it or cannot tolerate it, so new treatment options need to be developed.
A study published in the journal Trends in Molecular Medicine reveals that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are emerging as a potential therapeutic target.
The study is led by Professor Manuel Vázquez-Carrera, from the UB's Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, the UB Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB) and the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute (IRSJD), and head of the CIBER Area for Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM).
From liver damage to cirrhosis
This new study presents the latest advances in understanding the role of PPAR receptors in the development of the disease and shows how their activation influences processes associated with liver damage and the metabolic alterations characteristic of type 2 diabetes.
"The study analyses the scientific evidence on PPAR agonists, a family of drugs that regulate processes essential for liver function. These include the recently approved drugs elafibranor and seladelpar, which have expanded treatment options for people with primary biliary cholangitis," says Professor Xavier Palomer, lead author of the article and a member of the research group led by Vázquez-Carrera.
