Environmental pollution is one of the most serious challenges to health in the modern world. Pollutants alter immune responses and can provoke immunotoxicity. In this Review, we summarize the major environmental pollutants that are attracting wide-ranging concern and the molecular basis underlying their effects on the immune system. Xenobiotic receptors, including the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), sense and respond to a subset of environmental pollutants by activating the expression of detoxification enzymes to protect the body. However, chronic activation of the AHR leads to immunotoxicity. KEAP1–NRF2 is another important system that protects the body against environmental pollutants. KEAP1 is a sensor protein that detects environmental pollutants, leading to activation of the transcription factor NRF2. NRF2 protects the body from immunotoxicity by inducing the expression of genes involved in detoxification, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Intervening in these sensor–response systems could protect the body from the devastating immunotoxicity that can be induced by environmental pollutants.

环境污染是现代世界对健康的最严重挑战之一。污染物会改变免疫反应并引起免疫毒性。在这篇综述中，我们总结了引起广泛关注的主要环境污染物及其对免疫系统影响的分子基础。包括芳烃受体（AHR）在内的外源生物受体通过激活解毒酶的表达来保护身体，从而感知并响应一部分环境污染物。但是，AHR的慢性激活会导致免疫毒性。KEAP1-NRF2是另一个重要的系统，可以保护人体免受环境污染。KEAP1是一种传感器蛋白，可以检测环境污染物，从而激活转录因子NRF2。NRF2通过诱导与排毒，抗氧化剂和抗炎活性有关的基因的表达来保护人体免受免疫毒性。干预这些传感器响应系统可以保护人体免受环境污染物诱发的破坏性免疫毒性的影响。