CD8 T cells actively penetrate hepatocytes via the CD44/p-ERM/F-actin pathway in autoimmune hepatitis.

Objective: Emperipolesis is a pathological feature for the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). We have previously found that CD8 T cells participated in the emperipolesis in AIH. In this study we aimed to clarify the characteristics and molecular mechanisms of emperipolesis in patients with AIH in vitro and in mice with α-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer)-induced acute hepatitis.