013 ± 0.031) (P < 0.05, each, Mann–Whitney U-test). The titers of anti-M3R see more antibodies against first and second extracellular loops in PBC patients (0.338 ± 0.358 for first loop, 0.306 ± 0.252 for second loop) were significantly higher than in CHC patients (0.088 ± 0.044, 0.138 ± 0.065, respectively), NASH patients (0.044 ± 0.064, 0.013 ± 0.030, respectively), PSC patients (0.096 ± 0.069, 0.126 ± 0.097, respectively), obstructive jaundice patients (0.088 ± 0.013, 0.126 ± 0.045, respectively), drug-induced liver injury patients (0.065 ± 0.016, 0.097 ± 0.026, respectively) and controls

(0.037 ± 0.052, 0.034 ± 0.035, respectively) (P < 0.05, each, Mann–Whitney U-test). The titers of anti-M3R antibodies against the third extracellular loop in PBC patients (0.248 ± 0.180) were significantly higher than in CHC patients (0.093 ± 0.108), drug-induced liver injury patients (0.117 ± 0.101) and controls (0.041 ± 0.052) (P < 0.05, each, Mann–Whitney U-test) (Fig. 1). The selected cut-off level for a positive value was the mean value of the normal controls +2 SD value. The positivity of antibodies to the N-terminal region was significantly higher in PBC patients (90.0%, 81/90) than in CHC patients find more (67.5%, 27/40), PSC patients (60.0%, 6/10) and controls (4.8%, 2/42) (P < 0.05, each, Fisher's exact test). The positivity of antibodies to the first extracellular loop was also significantly

higher in PBC patients (73.3%, 66/90) than in CHC patients (10.0%, 4/40), NASH patients (9.5%, 2/21), PSC patients (20.0%, 2/10), obstructive jaundice (0%, 0/14), drug-induced liver injury patients (0%, 0/10) and controls (7.1%, 3/42) (P < 0.05, each, Fisher's

exact test). The positivity of antibodies to the second extracellular loop was significantly higher in PBC patients (76.7%, 69/90) than in NASH patients (4.8%, 1/21), drug-induced liver injury patients (30.0%, 3/10) and controls (2.4%, 1/42) (P < 0.05, Fisher's exact test). The positivity of antibodies to the third extracellular loop was significantly higher Fenbendazole in PBC patients (66.7%, 60/90) than in CHC patients (27.5%, 11/40), drug-induced liver injury patients (10.0%, 1/10) and controls (2.4%, 1/42) (P < 0.05, each, Fisher’s exact test) (Fig. 2). Of the 90 patients with PBC, 84 (93.3%) had anti-M3R antibodies reactive to at least one extracellular domain of M3R, while the other six patients did not have any anti-M3R antibodies. There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, histological examination (stage) and various other autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibody (ANA), AMA, antimitochondria M2 subunit antibody, anticentromere antibody and anti-La/Ro antibody, between anti-M3R antibody positive and negative groups (Table 2). Ten out of 90 patients with PBC (11.1%) were associated with Sjögren’s syndrome, and there was no significant difference in the frequency of associated Sjögren’s syndrome between anti-M3R antibody positive and negative groups (Table 2).