Exploring the Role of the Lymphatic System in Immune Regulation: Implications for Autoimmunity, Cancer, and Infection

Abstract

The lymphatic system is the immune system’s transport network (lymphatic vessels and lymph) that collects microbial antigens at the entrance and delivers them to the lymph nodes, where specific immune responses are stimulated. The lymphatic system maintains peripheral tolerance under normal conditions and rapidly develops protective immunity against foreign antigens after stimulation. Available evidence indicates that lymphatic function can be altered in various disease states such as cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmunity. Many pathological conditions induce lymphangiogenesis, which is thought to provide an extensive lymphatic network that allows antigens and fluids to have greater access to the lymphatics. However, the role of lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic dysfunction in immune regulation is unclear. Understanding the causes of lymphatic dysfunction in pathological diseases will help develop new therapeutic approaches targeting the lymphatic system in various diseases. This chapter summarizes current knowledge about how lymphatic function is altered in autoimmune conditions, cancer, and infectious diseases, and how it modulates the immune response.