Integrated approach to immunotoxicity: electron transfer, reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, cell signaling, and receptors

Our plain-English summary of Integrated approach to immunotoxicity: electron transfer, reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, cell signaling, and receptors, by P. Kovacic, R. Somanathan (Journal of Receptor and Signal Transduction Research, 2008).

The study

• Authors: P. Kovacic, R. Somanathan
• Journal: Journal of Receptor and Signal Transduction Research
• Published: 2008;28(4):323-46
• Type of article: Review
• Cited by: 28 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

As with all body organs, the immune system is subjected to attack by a variety of toxins. Serious consequences can result because the immune organs serve as a defense against infective agents. The toxins, both organic and inorganic, fall into a large variety of classes, such as metals, therapeutic drugs, industrial chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, fuels, herbicides and abused drugs. Although the mode of action is multifaceted, our focus is on electron transfer (ET), reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidants (AOs), cell signaling, and receptors. It is significant that the toxins or their metabolites incorporate ET functionalities capable of redox cycling with resultant generation of ROS and accompanying oxidative stress.

In plain English

This article was a review, not an original study. The authors surveyed published research on immunotoxicity, meaning harm to the immune system from toxins such as metals, pesticides, dioxins, PCBs, fuels, solvents, abused drugs and airborne particulates. They organized this research around one proposed mechanism: electron transfer that produces reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress, together with cell signaling and receptor binding. Asbestos received one short paragraph. It stated that asbestos exposure poses a risk for a range of lung diseases, including cancer, and that a comparatively large body of research documents direct and indirect effects of asbestos on the immune system. For this it cited an earlier review published in 1998. It named no fiber types, described no exposed people and gave no numbers for asbestos. The review also noted many reports of beneficial effects from antioxidants. The authors concluded that the harm usually involves oxidative attack on crucial parts of immune organs and that antioxidants might have therapeutic application. They said their review did not cover other modes of action extensively.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Narrative literature review proposing an integrated mechanism (electron transfer, reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, cell signaling, receptors) for immunotoxicity
• Who was studied: Published laboratory, animal and human studies of immune-system toxicity from a wide range of toxins (130 references). These included studies in mice, rats, fish, shellfish and human cells. No new subjects were studied.
• Exposure: Many classes of toxins. The review covered metals (mercury, cadmium, tin, lead, aluminum, chromium, arsenic), pesticides, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, PCBs, dioxins, particulates, trichloroethylene, jet and diesel fuel, ethanol, phenols, solvents, cocaine and others. Asbestos was covered in one brief paragraph that cited a 1998 review on asbestos immunotoxicity. No asbestos fiber types or doses were given.
• Main results:
  • On asbestos, the review stated only that a comparatively large body of research documents direct and indirect effects of asbestos on the immune system. It referred to an earlier review for details and reported no specific asbestos findings or numbers of its own.
  • Across the toxins reviewed, the authors presented reactive oxygen species as a common theme in immune-system damage.
  • The authors noted numerous published reports of beneficial effects from antioxidants against these toxins.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that damage from immune toxins usually involves oxidative attack on crucial elements of immune organs, and that antioxidants might have therapeutic application.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors stated that physiological activity is often complex and multifaceted, and that their review did not extensively treat modes of action other than the one they focused on.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Redox Cycling, Oxidative Stress.

Related studies

• Reactive oxygen species and PI3K/Akt signaling play key roles in the induction of Nrf2-driven heme oxygenase-1 expression in sulforaphane-treated human mesothelioma MSTO-211H cells — Y.J. Lee, H.Y. Jeong, et al. (2012)
• Mitochondria-derived reactive intermediate species mediate asbestos-induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress-responsive signaling pathways — S.X. Huang, M.A. Partridge, et al. (2012)
• Inhibition of NADPH oxidase 4 induces apoptosis in malignant mesothelioma: Role of reactive oxygen species — M. Tanaka, Y. Miura, et al. (2015)
• Modulation of reactive oxygen species via ERK and STAT3 dependent signalling are involved in the response of mesothelioma cells to exemestane — B. Nuvoli, E. Camera, et al. (2018)
• Tobacco smoke: involvement of reactive oxygen species and stable free radicals in mechanisms of oxidative damage, carcinogenesis and synergistic effects with other respirable particles — A. Valavanidis, T. Vlachogianni, et al. (2009)
• Reactive oxygen species a double-edged sword for mesothelioma — S. Benedetti, B. Nuvoli, et al. (2015)

Browse return to medical research.