Nonetheless, the finding that the number of liver foci were increased only in animals immunized with BCKDk 111–130 but not the other eight peptides and also an irrelevant antigen (RNase 43–56) (Table 2) suggests that BCKDk 111–130 also can be an autoantigen in the mediation of autoimmune hepatitis. This evidence concerns the gene BCKDK and autoimmune hepatitis.