Sinusoidal lymphocytes of liver graft may limit the recurrence of hepatic tumor in liver transplant recipients.

The liver immune function is associated with specific lymphocyte population transiently marginated in the liver sinusoids. These cells are of blood origin, however they are phenotypically and functionally different from peripheral blood lymphocytes. The question arises whether tumor proliferating in the liver can modify cell recruitment and function of marginating sinusoidal lymphocytes. Studies were performed in Wistar rats. Livers of normal and colon cancer (induced by i.v. injection of CC531 cells) metastases bearing rats were perfused for sinusoidal lymphocyte isolation. Our studies showed no difference between the number of lymphocytes retained in sinusoids of tumor bearing and normal rats. T lymphocyte subsets remained in similar proportions in liver with colorectal metastases as in normal rats. Long lasting presence of tumor in the liver was accompanied by decreased cytotoxic activity of liver sinusoidal lymphocytes, whereas it had no influence on cytotoxicity of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Repopulation of tumor liver with peripheral blood cells restored cytotoxic activity of sinusoidal lymphocytes.