The aryl hydrocarbon receptor in immunity.
Low-molecular-weight chemicals or xenobiotics might contribute to the increasing prevalence of allergies and autoimmunity. Certain chemicals can alter immune responses via their action on the cytosolic transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). AhR recognizes numerous small xenobiotic and natural molecules, such as dioxin and the tryptophan photoproduct 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole. Although AhR is best known for mediating dioxin toxicity, knockout studies have indicated that AhR also plays a role in normal physiology, including certain immune responses. In particular, Th17 cells and dendritic cells express high levels of AhR. We review here current evidence for the physiological role of AhR in the immune system, focussing in particular on T-cell biology.
Esser
Charlotte
C
Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. chesser@uni-duesseldorf.de
Rannug
Agneta
A
Stockinger
Brigitta
B
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
C111855:6-formylindolo(3,2-b)carbazole; D002227:Carbazoles; D020381:Interleukin-17; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon