Autoimmune & ArthritisHow Regulatory T Cells Drive Autoimmune Liver Disease and New Ways to Fix Them
Autoimmune liver diseases — including autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis — arise when the immune system mistakenly attacks the liver or bile ducts. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) normally keep this self-directed immune activity in check, but in these conditions their numbers and function are disrupted. This review synthesizes evidence from human studies and animal models to explain how Treg deficits differ across disease subtypes, tissue locations, and disease stages. It also explores how the gut-liver axis and the liver's local immune environment shape Treg stability. Crucially, the authors evaluate current and emerging treatments aimed at restoring or modulating Treg activity, identifying key scientific and clinical hurdles that must be cleared before these strategies reach routine practice.
