Here are just a few of the many citations that show the links between the detoxification and nutritional systems. My goal is to flesh out the entire site with this next layer of connections.
PMID: 12396688 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Detoxification: Connections with hormones:
PMID: 14681080 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Toxins and the Immune System
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2004 Jul 15;198(2):86-94.
Developmental immunotoxicology of lead.
Dietert RR, Lee JE, Hussain I, Piepenbrink M.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine,
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. rrd1@cornell.edu
The heavy metal, lead, is a known
developmental immunotoxicant
that has been shown to produce immune alterations in humans as well as other
species. Unlike many compounds that exert adverse immune effects, lead
exposure at low to moderate levels does not produce widespread loss of immune
cells. In contrast, changes resulting
from lead exposure are subtle at the immune cell population level but,
nevertheless, can be functionally dramatic. A hallmark of lead-induced
immunotoxicity is a pronounced shift in the balance in T helper cell function
toward T helper 2 responses at the expense of T helper 1 functions. This bias
alters the nature and range of immune responses that can be produced thereby
influencing host susceptibility to various diseases. Immunotoxic responses to
lead appear to differ across life stages not only quantitatively with regard to
dose response, but also qualitatively in terms of the spectrum of immune
alterations. Experimental studies in several lab animal species suggest the
latter stages of gestation are a period of considerable sensitivity for
lead-induced immunotoxicity. This review describes the basic characteristics of
lead-induced immunotoxicity emphasizing experimental animal results. It also
provides a framework for the consideration of toxicant exposure effects across
life stages. The existence of and probable basis for developmental windows of
immune hyper-susceptibility are presented. Finally, the potential for lead to
serve as a perinatal risk factor for childhood asthma as well as other diseases
is considered.
Publication Types:
PMID: 15236947 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]