Peritoneal Immunity in Liver Disease

The peritoneum represents a confined microenvironment that has an emerging role as distinct immunological compartment. In health, this niche is mainly populated by heterogenous group of macrophages and T lymphocytes but also Natural Killer cells B lymphocytes. Together they are crucial for surveillance, clearance infection resolution inflammation. Development ascites defining feature decompensated liver cirrhosis, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis the most frequent occurring in patient group. Recent studies ascitic fluid have revealed quantitative, phenotypic functional differences both innate adaptive immune compared to healthy state. This review summarises current knowledge these alterations explores how chronic disease simultaneously immunologically compromised site yet capable provoking intense inflammatory response. A better understanding might enable identification new therapeutic targets aimed rebalance peritoneal immunity reduce reliance on antimicrobials era increasing antimicrobial resistance.