Chemical pollution and innate antiviral immunity: Dangerous Liaisons ?

Abstract

Environmental pollution is of concern to civil society and as the problem intensifies, there is increasing pressure on politicians and polluters to assess and mitigate this risk. In addition, the emergence (or re-emergence) of viral pathologies such as dengue or chikungunya has also become a major concern requiring appropriate measures. Unfortunately, these two issues may well collide with unpredictable consequences in the next decades. Indeed, a growing number of studies suggests that organic pollutants could alter the innate antiviral response, including the type I interferon system (IFN-I). Such interactions could have significant consequences on the susceptibility of populations to viral infections, but also modify responses and protection induced by vaccines or favor the development of autoimmune diseases. The purpose of this review is to take stock of the known interactions between organic pollutants and the IFN-I response, and to present questions that should be addressed in the future in order to better assess this risk.