Veillonella dispar triggers dual-hits in the pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis via testosterone depletion-BAFF-B cell axis and Th17 cell activation

Objective

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) frequently present as overlap syndromes, characterized by shared sexual dimorphism and elevated intestinal Veillonella dispar (V. dispar) abundance, yet exhibiting distinct hallmark pathological manifestations. This study aimed to elucidate the shared pathogenesis, phenotypic differentiation mechanisms and sex-specific predisposition of AIH and PBC induced by V. dispar.