The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that is activated by small molecules provided by the diet, microorganisms, metabolism, and pollutants. AhR is expressed by a number of immune cells, and thus AhR signaling provides a molecular pathway that integrates the effects of the environment and metabolism on the immune response. Studies have shown that AhR signaling plays important roles in the immune system in health and disease. As its activity is regulated by small molecules, AhR also constitutes a potential target for therapeutic immunomodulation. In this review we discuss the role of AhR in the regulation of the immune response in the context of autoimmunity, infection, and cancer, as well as the potential opportunities and challenges of developing AhR-targeted therapeutics.

芳烃受体（AhR）是一种配体激活的转录因子，可被饮食，微生物，代谢和污染物提供的小分子激活。AhR由许多免疫细胞表达，因此AhR信号传导提供了一种分子途径，该途径整合了环境和新陈代谢对免疫反应的影响。研究表明，AhR信号传导在健康和疾病的免疫系统中起重要作用。由于其活性受小分子调节，AhR还构成了治疗性免疫调节的潜在靶标。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了在自身免疫，感染和癌症的背景下，AhR在调节免疫反应中的作用，以及开发以AhR为靶标的治疗剂的潜在机会和挑战。