History Of Immunotoxicology

History of Immunotoxicology offers the first book-length exploration of the development and importance of the field of immunotoxicology. Toxicology is evolving with the identification of new toxic hazards and the marketing of new chemicals. As preventive measures are implemented to reduce risks, including banning of chemicals or applications of one given chemical, current toxicologists may not be aware of the actual toxicity potential of chemicals when marketing or used in the past. Knowledge of what has occurred before can help to give context and understanding of current and future debates. Although immunotoxicology is one of the youngest areas of toxicology – its origin dates back to approximately half a century – a number of significant adverse effects and safety issues have been described, which deserve a historical perspective. History of Immunotoxicology describes the adverse health effects involving the immune system, hypersensitivity and autoimmunity. It also explores new avenues of research and immunotoxicity evaluation, as well as regulatory aspects of immunotoxicology, and the withdrawal/banning from the market of several approved drugs and chemicals due to their immunotoxic effects. Clinical manifestations of immunotoxicity, such as anaphylaxis, opportunistic infections, lymphomas, cytokine storm, and immunotherapy will be addressed. Finally, the book considers how the recent past can provide insights on the future practice of immunotoxicology. This book will be of interest to students and researchers in government, industry, and academia who have an interest in immunotoxicology. Examines the development of immunotoxicology Provides context to current debates about actual toxicity potential of chemicals Covers major developments and areas of immunotoxicology

Provides an overview of the effects of environmentally and occupationally important metals on the immune system and host defence. The fist ten chapters in the text focus on particular metals or groups of metals, including arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel and vanadium. Subsequent chapters examine the immunotoxicological effects of trace metals such as indium and platinum and essential metals such as iron, zinc and copper. The main emphasis is on the in vivo and in vitro effects of these metals on host immune responses in a variety of mammalian species including humans. Each chapter also briefly reviews the history, use, occurrence, biology and toxicology of the metals.

Continuing the tradition set by the first and second editions, each a bestseller in its own right, the third edition of Immunotoxicology and Immunopharmacology provides reviews of environmental agents, updated to reflect the latest information on how these agents influence immune system function and health. For the first time in the book's history, an entire section covers the phylogeny and ontogeny of the immune system, spanning levels of biological complexity from earthworms to marine mammals.

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.

This is a review of clinical adverse effects on the human immune system that may occur following drug treatments and chemcical exposures. Current and prospective models and assays that can be used to predict these adverse effects in animal toxicity studies or in human beings are described.

Continuing the tradition set by the first and second editions, each a bestseller in its own right, the third edition of Immunotoxicology and Immunopharmacology provides reviews of environmental agents, updated to reflect the latest information on how these agents influence immune system function and health. For the first time in the book's history, an entire section covers the phylogeny and ontogeny of the immune system, spanning levels of biological complexity from earthworms to marine mammals.

This text provides a concise and comprehensive introduction to key immunotoxicological issues for all those interested in, but with no prior knowledge of, this area of toxicology. The first section explores the health consequences of immunotoxicity, namely the adverse effects related to chemically-induced immunosuppression and immunostimulation, hypersensitivity reactions and autoimmune diseases, with an overview of major immunotoxicants. The second part describes the latest methods used to detect and evaluate, preclinically and clinically, the unexpected immunotoxic effects of xenobiotics. Trends in implementing strategies and recent changes to the regulatory aspects are also considered. The third section examines possible future developments, including In Vitro methods, biomarkers of immunotixicity and risk assessment.

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of deaths worldwide and according to the World Economics Council and the Harvard School of Public Health, the cost of chronic diseases is expected to reach a staggering 48% of global gross domestic product by the year 2030. The urgency of the issue was demonstrated in 2011 when for only the second time in its existence, the U.N. General Assembly brought a health issue to the floor for consideration: chronic diseases. To date, most considerations of the issue have approached the topic from the vantage point that chronic diseases are a myriad of largely unconnected diseases and conditions arising in diverse tissues, organs and physiological systems. This book, Immunotoxicity, Immune Dysfuction, and Chronic Disease, deviates from that prior model. It considers the interconnectivity of chronic diseases with both environmental insult of the immune system and subsequent immune dysfunction and inflammatory dysregulation as the underlying basis for many, if not most, chronic diseases. This change in the perception of environment-immune linkages to chronic disease is significant and has immediate implications both for the prevention of disease as well as for the development of more effective therapeutic approaches. Rather than considering environmental factors and types of reported immune alterations (e.g., depressed humoral immunity) as is common in books involving immunotoxicity, the present book approaches the environment-immune-disease triad from the standpoint of the disease. Each chapter emphasizes one or more specific immune dysfunction-based chronic disease(s) or condition(s) (e.g., asthma, atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, lupus) and describes: 1) the suggested environmental risk factors, 2) the underlying immune dysfunction(s) associated with the disease and 3) the overall health consequences of the disease. This book is an early entry for a new Toxicology book series for Springer titled: Molecular and Integrative Toxicology (MaIT). The series will feature detailed research information, but in the context of a more integrative or holistic framework. As part of this framework, the chapters will contain a section on ”Key Points” as well as “Recommendations” where appropriate. The goal is to cover the most timely, state-of-the-art issues in toxicology as well as to ensure that the information is maximally accessible for research scientists, teachers, physicians and students. We are particularly grateful to the numerous chapter authors for providing comprehensive and expert disease-oriented contributions. We are also appreciative of their willingness to consider their material not as disparate pieces of what has become a major health crisis, but rather as key pieces in a network of apparently interconnected health challenges.