Autoimmune liver disease is defined as immune-mediated chronic liver disease of unknown etiology. The forms of autoimmune liver disease include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitits and an overlapping syndrome known as autoimmune cholangitis. These diseases were once considered to be rare. However, incidence of these diseases has increased with advanced of diagnostic techniques. During the past ten years, we have made enormous progress in understanding autoimmune mechanisms. Furthermore, new clinical and epidemiological studies have provided information that has changed our concept of autoimmune liver disease. This symposium was indeed a success due to the quality presentations by active researchers in the world.

Autoimmune Hepititis.

A critical update on anti-CYP2D6 antibodies in hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) (A.M. Yamamoto). Clinical features of autoimmune heptitis diagnosed by the international scoring system (A. Kaneko, M. Kato). Autoimmune liver diseases in southeast asia (A. Chutaputti). Autoimmune features of chronic hepatitis C - experience in Hawaii (N.C.S. Tsai, M. Chen, A. Coste). Autoantibodies in autoimmune hepatitis (H. Ohira, R. Kasukawa). High frequency of antibodies against liver membrane proteins in autoimmune liver diseases (S.A. Morshed et al.). Immunoreactivity to various human cytochrome P450 proteins of sera from patients with autoimmune hepatitis (H. Miyakawa et al.). NKT cell and autoimmune liver disease (H. Takahashiet al.). Increased bcl-2 expression in lymphocytes in patients with autoimmune hepitits (M. Yachida, K. Kurokohchi, K. Arima). Comment: Autoimmune hepatitis in asian countries (G. Toda).

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.

Epidemiology and prognosis of primary biliary cirrhosis in Japan (J. Hirohara et al.). Analysis of autoantigens in biliary epithelium and bile in primary biliary cirrhosis (A. Nishio, K. Hajiro, M.E. Gershwin). Identification of antigen that triggers the induction of autoimmune response in primary biliary cirrhosis (H. Ishibashi et al.). PBC-like lesions in neonatally thymectomized mice: the role of T cells and analysis of T cell receptor v-beta usage (Y. Aisaka, Y. Wantanabe, T. Nakanishi). Recurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis after living-related liver transplantation (E. Hashimoto et al.). Is fetal microchimerism involved in primary biliary cirrhosis (A. Tanaka et al.). Role of dendritic cells in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (T. Masumoto et al.). Eosinophil activation in primary biliary cirrhosis: A mechanism for cholangiocyte injury? (K. Yamazaki et al.). Etiopathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis with an emphasis on microbial participation (K. Tsuneyama, K. Harada, Y. Nakanuma). Application of phenotypic changes of hepatocytes for the staging of primary biliary cirrhosis (K. Yamamoto et al.). Comments on the session primary biliary cirrhosis (K. Inoue, M.E. Gershwin).

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Characteristics of primary sclerosing cholangitis in Japan (H. Takikawa). Atypical primary sclerosing cholangitis (T. Nakazawa et al.). Endoscopic and histological study of the pancreatic involvement in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (E. Matsushita et al.). Clinicopathologic features of primary sclerosing cholangitis (E. Hashimoto et al.). Intraductal ultrasonographic findings in primary sclerosing cholangitis (T. Tsuyuguchi, H. Saisho). Clinical features of primary sclerosing cholangitis: effectiveness and limitation of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment (S. Tazuma et al.). Comments on the session primary sclerosis cholangitis (T. Morizane).

Index of authors. Keyword index.

Edited by M. Nishioka, The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Japan; S. Watanabe, The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Japan; and K. Arima, The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Japan