Fractalkine and Other Chemokines in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Figure 4

The proposed role of fractalkine is illustrated. TLR3 or TLR4 ligands stimulate vascular endothelial cells to produce fractalkine as chemokine, then fractalkine attracts CX3CR1 positive monocytes or NK cells. Subsequently, TLR4 ligand stimulated BEC produce fractalkine as cell adhesion molecule, then fractalkine recruit CX3CR1 positive cells around PBC target cells. This starts the chronic nonsuppurative destructive cholangitis and perpetuates the autoimmune pathogenesis of disease. Finally, TLR3 ligand stimulated biliary epithelial cells produce Th1 chemokines, and these chemokines are considered to contribute this autoimmune mechanism.