Issue |
Med Sci (Paris)
Volume 23, Number 11, Novembre 2007
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 985 - 990 | |
Section | M/S revues | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/medsci/20072311985 | |
Published online | 15 November 2007 |
Le foie : un organe du système immunitaire ?
The liver: an organ of the immune system ?
Service et Unité de recherche en gastroentérologie, hépatologie et nutrition, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175, Côte Sainte-Catherine, Montréal (Québec), H3T 1C5 Canada
*
pascal.lapierre@umontreal.ca
*
fernando.alvarez@umontreal.ca
Constamment exposé aux antigènes alimentaires et aux produits de la flore intestinale, le foie déploie des mécanismes de tolérance immune tout en maintenant sa capacité à élaborer une réponse efficace en cas d’infection. Par exemple, le foie a la propriété surprenante de pouvoir recruter et de pouvoir activer spécifiquement les lymphocytes T naïfs. Cependant, cette activation, sous certaines conditions, est inefficace et mène à l’élimination des lymphocytes T. Ce mécanisme expliquerait le phénomène de tolérance orale et le maintien sans immunosuppression d’allogreffes hépatiques. Une meilleure connaissance de ces propriétés tolérogéniques uniques nous permettra de mieux comprendre à la fois le processus de l’auto-immunité hépatique et l’installation d’hépatites virales chroniques.
Abstract
The liver stands in a unique position between the gastrointestinal tract and systemic venous system. Its constant exposure to food antigens, bacterial products and potential pathogens through the mesenteric circulation, requires the liver to maintain tolerogenic capabilities while preserving the means to mount effective immune responses. The liver has the unique ability amongst solid organs, to activate naïve CD8+ T lymphocytes in an antigen-specific manner. However, this activation can be inefficient and lead to apoptosis. This phenomenon is believed to be involved in both, the development of oral tolerance and the induction of tolerance in liver allografts. The liver is the target of both autoimmune diseases and of chronic viral infections and its unique tolerogenic environment has frequently been suggested as a factor in the development of these diseases. A better grasp of the liver’s unique immunological processes would lead to a better understanding of immune tolerance mechanisms and their role in the development of autoimmune diseases and chronic viral infections.
© 2007 médecine/sciences - Inserm / SRMS
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