The liver and immune tolerance

Abstract

As the largest solid organ in the body, the liver plays a critical role in metabolism and detoxification. Recently, emerging evidence suggests that the liver is an immunological organ with unique properties of predominant innate immunity and immune tolerance. The characteristics of liver immune tolerance are associated with the unique anatomy, blood supply, the cell composition, as well as the microenvironment of this organ. The immune tolerance and predominance in innate immunity of liver are not only related to the pathogenesis of many liver diseases such as persistent hepatotropic viral infection and hepatic carcinoma, as well as the liver transplantation tolerance, but also affect the development of systemic diseases. Fully understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the predominance of innate immunity, the formation of liver immune tolerance, as well as the subsequent induction of systemic tolerance, will provide foundation for development of novel therapeutic strategies for related diseases.