Primary biliary cirrhosis and scleroderma. The possibility of a common pathogenetic mechanism.

A woman with clinical manifestations of progressive systemic sclerosis had liver disease with histologic and immunologic features of primary biliary cirrhosis. Biopsy specimens of salivary gland showed necrosis and lymphocytic infiltrates in and around ducts similar to those observed in hepatic ducts, whereas neither of these tissues exhibited immunoglobulin or complement deposition. The ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies suggest a common cell-mediated immunologic mechanism for the two disorders.