Natural killer cells in liver diseases.
10.1007/s11684-018-0621-4
- Author:
Meijuan ZHENG
1
;
Haoyu SUN
2
;
Zhigang TIAN
2
Author Information
1. Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China. mjzheng@mail.ustc.edu.cn.
2. Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease of Chinese Academy of Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
immune activation;
immune tolerance;
liver diseases;
natural killer cell;
phenotype
- MeSH:
Adaptive Immunity;
Animals;
Autoimmune Diseases;
immunology;
Humans;
Immune Tolerance;
Immunity, Innate;
Killer Cells, Natural;
immunology;
Liver Diseases;
immunology;
Mice
- From:
Frontiers of Medicine
2018;12(3):269-279
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The liver has been characterized as a frontline lymphoid organ with complex immunological features such as liver immunity and liver tolerance. Liver tolerance plays an important role in liver diseases including acute inflammation, chronic infection, autoimmune disease, and tumors. The liver contains a large proportion of natural killer (NK) cells, which exhibit heterogeneity in phenotypic and functional characteristics. NK cell activation, well known for its role in the immune surveillance against tumor and pathogen-infected cells, depends on the balance between numerous activating and inhibitory signals. In addition to the innate direct "killer" functions, NK cell activity contributes to regulate innate and adaptive immunity (helper or regulator). Under the setting of liver diseases, NK cells are of great importance for stimulating or inhibiting immune responses, leading to either immune activation or immune tolerance. Here, we focus on the relationship between NK cell biology, such as their phenotypic features and functional diversity, and liver diseases.
