Scientists from research center Applied research center (CIMA) at the University of Navarra have received the award "Best work presented in hepatology in 2008 and published in high-impact journals." The award, granted by the Spanish Foundation for the Study of the Liver (FEEH), recognizes a study conducted in the Genetics laboratory and published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The cause of primary biliary cirrhosis, which primarily affects middle-aged women, remains unknown today. This condition is associated with autoimmune phenomena, damages the liver’s bile ducts, and reduces bile production. In Spain, more than 1,000 cases are diagnosed annually, and the total issue patients exceeds 15,000. Researchers at CIMA described the role of the AE2 protein in combining an existing treatment—ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)—with glucocorticoids, which improves the condition in a specific patient population.

According to Dr. Juan Francisco Medina, director laboratory Genetics laboratory at CIMA, "the diagnosis of the disease, which is usually made early, allows for prompt initiation of treatment with UDCA. However, nearly 40% of patients do not respond satisfactorily to monotherapy with UDCA."

The novelty of this study lies in linking, for the first time, the combined treatment of UDCA and glucocorticoids with higher levels of bicarbonate in bile and improved bile production by the liver. Specifically, experiments in animal models and cell cultures demonstrate that "only the combined treatment of UDCA and glucocorticoids increases the gene expression of the human AE2 protein in the liver." This study is part of Fabián Arenas’ thesis , which received the award doctorate award doctorate the area Biochemistry , granted by the School of Science the University of Navarra. The research, led by Dr. Medina, also involved Isabel Herviás, Miriam Úriz, Ruth Joplin, and Dr. Jesús Prieto, director area Gene Therapy and Hepatology area at CIMA.