Bile salt sulphation in man. Liver bile salt sulphotransferase activity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Bile salt sulphation in primary biliary cirrhosis was studied by measurements of the liver bile salt sulphotransferase levels in 16 patients. Although the enzyme activity varied among the patients it did not correlate with the severity of cholestasis. Furthermore, the mean bile salt sulphotransferase magnitude in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis did not differ significantly from corresponding enzyme activity in patients with non-cholestatic, alcohol induced liver disease. The present data indicates that chronic cholestasis, as evidenced in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, does not lead to increased levels of liver bile salt sulphotransferase. It is suggested that mechanisms other than enzymic induction are responsible for the increased bile salt sulphate synthesis as observed in primary biliary cirrhosis.