Notably, substantially reduced numbers of hepatic DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes were observed in PBC patients with positive AMA-M2 (PBC-M2+) or negative AMA-M2 (PBC-M2−), but not in patients with obstructive cholestasis (OC), secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (Fig. 3g and Supplementary Table 9). This evidence concerns the gene ACE2 and systemic sclerosis.