Biologic Markers In Immunotoxicology

Are environmental pollutants threatening the human immune system? Researchers are rapidly approaching definitive answers to this question, with the aid of biologic markersâ€"sophisticated assessment tools that could revolutionize detection and prevention of certain diseases. This volume, third in a series on biologic markers, focuses on the human immune system and its response to environmental toxicants. The authoring committee provides direction for continuing development of biologic markers, with strategies for applying markers to immunotoxicology in humans and recommended outlines for clinical and field studies. This comprehensive, up-to-date volume will be invaluable to specialists in toxicology and immunology and to biologists and investigators involved in the development of biologic markers.

Use of the term "multiple chemical sensitivity" (MCS) as a diagnostic label has generated increasing controversy during the past few decades as a phenomenon related to exposure to chemical agents sustained both in indoor and outdoor environments. This volume, prepared in conjunction with Biologic Markers in Immunotoxicology, contains the authored papers of a workshop held to develop an agenda to study the phenomenon of multiple chemical sensitivity. Authored by clinicians, immunologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and others involved in research or clinical activities relevant to the problem, the papers contain case evaluations and criteria for diagnosis, mechanisms potentially underlying MCS, and epidemiologic approaches to investigation.

Diseases of the kidney, bladder, and prostate exact an enormous human and economic toll on the population of the United States. This book examines prevention of these diseases through the development of reliable markers of susceptibility, exposure, and effect and the promise that new technologies in molecular biology and sophisticated understanding of metabolic pathways, along with classical approaches to the study of nephrotoxicants and carcinogens, can be developed and prevention of the diseases achieved. The specific recommendations included in this book complement those made in the previous three volumes on biomarkers, Biologic Markers in Reproductive Toxicology (1989), Biologic Markers in Pulmonary Toxicology (1989), and Biologic Markers in Immunotoxicology (1991).

Does exposure to environmental toxicants inhibit our ability to have healthy children who develop normally? Biologic markersâ€"indicators that can tell us when environmental factors have caused a change at the cellular or biochemical level that might affect reproductive abilityâ€"are a promising tool for research aimed at answering that important question. Biologic Markers in Reproductive Toxicology examines the potential of these markers in environmental health studies; clarifies definitions, underlying concepts, and possible applications; and shows the benefits to be gained from their use in reproductive and neurodevelopmental research.

Biologic markersâ€"indicators of biological exposure or changeâ€"offer the promise of early detection of disease caused by environmental exposure. Researchers have used these markers to discover indications of pulmonary damage from low-level ozone, a finding with serious implications for health professionals and environmental regulators. Biologic Markers in Pulmonary Toxicology is a comprehensive study of this use of biologic markers. Focusing on the respiratory tract as an entryway for airborne pollutants, this volume reviews new ways of measuring markers, the need for markers to indicate dose or exposure levels, noninvasive respiratory function tests for use with healthy humans to detect sensitivity to inhaled pollutants, approaches to evaluating markers down to the cellular and biochemical levels, and more.

Many of the pesticides applied to food crops in this country are present in foods and may pose risks to human health. Current regulations are intended to protect the health of the general population by controlling pesticide use. This book explores whether the present regulatory approaches adequately protect infants and children, who may differ from adults in susceptibility and in dietary exposures to pesticide residues. The committee focuses on four major areas: Susceptibility: Are children more susceptible or less susceptible than adults to the effects of dietary exposure to pesticides? Exposure: What foods do infants and children eat, and which pesticides and how much of them are present in those foods? Is the current information on consumption and residues adequate to estimate exposure? Toxicity: Are toxicity tests in laboratory animals adequate to predict toxicity in human infants and children? Do the extent and type of toxicity of some chemicals vary by species and by age? Assessing risk: How is dietary exposure to pesticide residues associated with response? How can laboratory data on lifetime exposures of animals be used to derive meaningful estimates of risk to children? Does risk accumulate more rapidly during the early years of life? This book will be of interest to policymakers, administrators of research in the public and private sectors, toxicologists, pediatricians and other health professionals, and the pesticide industry.

This work provides rapid access to focused information on topics of Immunotoxicology not only for scientists and those dealing with laboratory aspects but also for lecturers and advanced students. Over 200 contributing authors – including many of the world’s top specialists – have contributed full essays on all relevant topics, supplemented by keyword definitions of related terms. Full essays are structured uniformly to provide reader-friendly information on all aspects of Immunotoxicology, including methods of testing and analysis, characteristics of substances, the regulatory environment and the relevance of these to humans. The single A–Z format of both types of entry makes this reference book very easy to use. The Encyclopedic Reference of Immunotoxicology is intended to be a comprehensive work of reference which will provide easy access to relevant information in the fast-growing field of Immunotoxicology.

This fully updated volume utilizes the expertise of scientists currently engaged in immunotoxicity testing to provide the reader with lab-ready procedures and the background information needed to identify effective testing approaches. Dedicated to identifying and describing exogenous agents that can modify immune function, uncovering modes and mechanisms of action for such agents, and translating data from the laboratory and from the clinic to better predict health risks as well as benefits to those who are exposed to immunomodulatory agents, immunotoxicity testing continues to be a vital field of study, and this collection highlights both the “tried and true” methods as well as alternative protocols that have been more recently developed. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Immunotoxicity Testing: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as a valuable contribution to the continued evolution and the application of immunotoxicity testing.