Cholangiocytes from Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis Exhibit Aerobic Glycolysis and Hyperpolarized Mitochondria

Biliary epithelium from patients with primary biliary cholangitis have an unusual metabolic phenotype that predominantly uses glycolysis for energy production. The mitochondria show less activity but appear to be increased in number. This picture can be triggered by blocking pyruvate oxidation, which is the target of the anti-mitochondrial antibodies.