The human hepatocellular immune system and its role in regulating cancer

Abstract

The liver is an essential immunological organ receiving antigen-rich blood directly from the gut; a continuous immune exposure that requires careful immunosurveillance. It is considered to be a mainly tolerogenic organ as dietary and commensal antigens require tolerance. Also liver transplant patients require less immunosuppression and have less rejection than recipients of other transplanted organs. This tolerance makes the liver an attractive site for tumour growth; however, the incidence of primary liver cancer is one of the lowest of any cancer suggesting effective antitumour activity.