TNF-α can play pathogenic or protective roles in AIH, which can lead to apoptosis or differentiation of hepatocytes.19 Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20 (CCL20) mediates the migration of a variety of immune cells to the liver by binding to its specific receptor C-C chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6).20 Iwamoto et al66 found that TNF-α could induce an increase in hepatic CCL20 expression and play a pathogenic role in the concanavalin-A (Con A)-induced AIH model. This evidence concerns the gene CCR6 and autoimmune hepatitis.