Immunotoxicity of Cadmium

Abstract

During the past decade, a number of chemicals and drugs have been shown to alter immune functions inadvertently in animals and human beings. In fact, the immune system has been shown to be exquisitely affected at low levels of exposure to certain environmental toxicants before any other toxicologic manifestations are evident. The perturbation of immune responses by exogenous chemicals and drugs is not surprising considering the complex nature and delicate balances controlling these reactions. These types of immunomodulating effects have led government agencies and private industry to consider the incorporation of immuno-toxicologic profiles into standard toxicologic assessment protocols for drugs and chemicals.