Main description:

The human immune system is constantly exposed to chemical contaminants, whether from food, water or air. Some chemicals directly elicit an immune response, while others indirectly activate or deactivate components within the immune system. Thus when tracking or predicting the effect of a chemical on the immune system, many different pathways and modes of action need to be considered. Following an introduction to the various pathways and toxicity mechanisms from a systemic perspective, the main part of this comprehensive reference surveys individual molecular mechanisms of important immunotoxicants, from PAHs to biopharmaceuticals, and from receptor-mediated toxicity to nanoparticle toxicity, using analyses based on molecular effects rather than on animal models. Taken together, the knowledge presented here provides an up-to-date overview of this hot topic that can be directly applied to the prediction and characterization of immunotoxic effects in drugs, chemicals, and environmental contaminants.

Contents:

The Evolution of Immunotoxicology Overview on the Mechanisms Underlying Chemical-Induced Immunotoxicity Use of Toxicogenomics in Immunotoxicology Breakdown of the Molecular Processes Driving the Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) of Skin and Respiratory Sensitization Induction in Humans Exposed to Xenobiotics and Proteins Chemical allergen-induced skin cell activation The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) as a Mediator of Adverse Immune Reactions Immunotoxicological Effects of Pharmaceuticals on Signal Transduction in Innate and Adaptive Immunity Promises and challenges with immunomodulatory biologics The Non-Clinical Evaluation of Biotechnology-Derived Pharmaceuticals, Moving on after the TeGenero case Glucocorticoid-Induced Immunomodulation Particulate matter-induced immune activation Genotoxic Mechanisms of PAH-Induced Immunotoxicity Immunotoxic Effects of Perfluoroalkylated Compounds: Mechanisms of Action Pesticide-Induced Immunotoxicity: Molecular Targets Mode of Action of Organotins in Immune Cells