title: Beyond toxicity: aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated functions in the immune system.
abstract: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor is a ligand-activated transcriptional regulator that binds dioxin and other exogenous contaminants and is responsible for their toxic effects, including immunosuppression. New evidence suggests, however, that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor has a physiological role in the immune system, and the immunosuppressive effects of dioxin may reflect a more subtle disruption of the regulatory interactions between immune cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Immunology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK. bstocki@nimr.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Brigitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stockinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004147:Dioxins / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D007378:Interleukins; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D000097043:Interleukin-22
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