API
Event: 986
Key Event Title
Short name
Increase, Increased susceptibility to infectionBiological Context
| Level of Biological Organization |
|---|
| Individual |
Key Event Components
| Process | Object | Action |
|---|
Key Event Overview
AOPs Including This Key Event
| AOP Name | Role of event in AOP |
|---|---|
| IL-1 inhibition | AdverseOutcome |
Stressors
Taxonomic Applicability
| Term | Scientific Term | Evidence | Link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homo sapiens | Homo sapiens | High | NCBI | |
| Mus musculus | Mus musculus | High | NCBI |
Life Stages
| Life stage | Evidence |
|---|---|
| All life stages | High |
Sex Applicability
| Term | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Unspecific | High |
Key Event Description
Complications from infection as a side-effect of administering FK506 was found to be similar to that of cyclosporin A (Ekberg et al. 2007), and recipients of liver transplants treated with FK506 were found to have suffered bacterial, viral, and fungal infections (Alessiani et al. 1991, Fung et al. 1991).
Defect of IL-1 signaling caused by knockout of mice gene or administration of IL-1 receptor antagonist or neutralizing antibodies to human leads to the increased susceptibility to infection. Moreover, polymorphism of IL-1b or IL-1Ra leads to the increased susceptibility to tuberculosis or fungal infection.
How It Is Measured or Detected
By comparison of the incidence of infection between individuals exposed to stressors and non-exposed individuals.
Domain of Applicability
The increased susceptibiity to infection caused by IL-1RA or anti-IL-1 antibody has been reported in bothe humans and mice.
Evidence for Perturbation by Stressor
Regulatory Significance of the Adverse Outcome
A well-functioning immune system is essential for maintaining the integrity of an organism. Immune dysregulation can have serious adverse health consequences, ranging from reduced resistance to infection and neoplasia to allergic and autoimmune conditions. Environmental contaminants, food additives, and drugs can target the immune system, resulting in immune dysregulation. Accordingly, the potential for immunotoxicity, which is defined as the toxicological effects of xenobiotics on the function of the immune system, has raised serious concerns from the public as well as regulatory agencies. Currently, the assessment of chemical immunotoxicity relies mainly on animal models and assays that characterize immunosuppression and sensitization. However, animal studies have many drawbacks, such as high cost, ethical concerns, and questionable relevance to risk assessment for humans.
The immune system comprises innate and adaptive immunity. Both arms of the immune response function differently and are driven by different populations of cells. In innate immunity, pathogens are recognized through various pattern recognition molecules, such as C-type lectin receptors, toll-like receptors, nod-like receptors, and retinoic acid–inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors. In addition, a variety of different cells are involved in this type of response, including neutrophils and other types of granulocytes, macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, innate lymphoid cells, and mast cells. Adaptive immune responses involve specific antigen receptors encoded by rearranged genes, and T cells and B cells play critical roles in these responses.
Macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), which act as antigen-presenting cells (APCs), link the innate and adaptive immune responses because they can present antigens to T cells in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and stimulate their proliferation and effector functions after being stimulated via pathogen recognition receptors. IL-1b is a crucial cytokine to induce DC or macrophage activation. Therefore, it has a regulatory signiciance to monitor the effects of chemicals on susceptibility to infection in individuals.