摘要
Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is primarily a malignancy of the liver, advancing from a damaged, cirrhotic liver to HCC. Globally, HCC is the sixth most prevalent cancer and the third-most prevalent reason for neoplastic disease-related deaths. A diverse array of infiltrating immunocytes regulates the development and progression of HCC, as is the case in many other cancers. An understanding of the various immune components during HCC becomes necessary so that novel therapeutic strategies can be designed to combat the disease. A dysregulated immune system(including changes in the number and/or function of immune cells, cytokine levels, and the expression of inhibitory receptors or their ligands) plays a key role in the development of HCC. Alterations in either the innate or adaptive arm of the immune system and cross-talk between them make the immune system tolerant to tumors, leading to disease progression. In this review, we have discussed the status and roles of various immune effector cells(e.g., dendritic cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, and T cells), their cytokine profile, and the chemokine-receptor axis in promoting or impeding HCC.
Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is primarily a malignancyof the liver, advancing from a damaged, cirrhoticliver to HCC. Globally, HCC is the sixth most prevalentcancer and the third-most prevalent reason for neoplasticdisease-related deaths. A diverse array ofinfiltrating immunocytes regulates the developmentand progression of HCC, as is the case in many othercancers. An understanding of the various immunecomponents during HCC becomes necessary so thatnovel therapeutic strategies can be designed to combatthe disease. A dysregulated immune system （includingchanges in the number and/or function of immunecells, cytokine levels, and the expression of inhibitoryreceptors or their ligands） plays a key role in thedevelopment of HCC. Alterations in either the innateor adaptive arm of the immune system and cross-talkbetween them make the immune system tolerant totumors, leading to disease progression. In this review,we have discussed the status and roles of variousimmune effector cells （e.g. , dendritic cells, natural killercells, macrophages, and T cells）, their cytokine profile,and the chemokine-receptor axis in promoting orimpeding HCC.
