Inadera Hidekuni
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Toxicol Lett. 2006 Jul 14;164(3):191-206. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2006.03.006. Epub 2006 Mar 28.
The immune system in higher organisms is under integrated control and has the capacity to rapidly respond to the environment. Recently, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases. Environmental factors likely play a major role in the explosion of allergy. Although the "hygiene hypothesis" may explain the increase in allergic diseases which are prone to T helper 2 (Th2) immune responses, recent findings highlight the possible involvement of environmental xenobiotic chemicals which can modulate normal immune function. Interestingly, several reports suggest that the prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus, a Th2-type autoimmune disease, is also increasing, although the development of high-sensitivity immunological tests may be a possible cause. The increased prevalence of autoimmune disease in women, the sexual dimorphism of the immune response, and the immunomodulatory effects of sex steroids, have focused attention on the role of chemicals which influence sex steroids in the development of immune diseases. Moreover, recent reports indicate that some environmental chemicals can work on nuclear hormone receptors, other than sex hormone receptors, and modulate immune reactions. This review focuses on the impact of environmental chemicals on immune system function and pathogenesis of immune diseases, including allergy and autoimmune diseases.
高等生物的免疫系统受到综合调控，并有能力对环境做出快速反应。近年来，过敏性疾病的患病率显著上升。环境因素可能在过敏症的爆发中起主要作用。尽管“卫生假说”可能解释了易引发辅助性T细胞2（Th2）免疫反应的过敏性疾病的增加，但最近的研究结果突出了环境外源性化学物质可能参与其中，这些物质可调节正常免疫功能。有趣的是，有几份报告表明，系统性红斑狼疮（一种Th2型自身免疫性疾病）的患病率也在上升，尽管高灵敏度免疫检测方法的发展可能是一个原因。自身免疫性疾病在女性中的患病率增加、免疫反应的性别差异以及性类固醇的免疫调节作用，都使人们将注意力集中在影响性类固醇的化学物质在免疫疾病发展中的作用上。此外，最近的报告表明，一些环境化学物质可作用于除性激素受体之外的核激素受体，并调节免疫反应。本综述重点关注环境化学物质对免疫系统功能以及免疫疾病（包括过敏和自身免疫性疾病）发病机制的影响。
