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Lead and immune function.

Rodney R Dietert1, Michael S Piepenbrink

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. rrd1@cornell.edu

Critical Reviews in Toxicology
|July 1, 2006
PubMed
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Lead exposure significantly alters immune function, increasing risks for autoimmune diseases and reducing defenses against infections and cancer. Even low lead levels may cause long-term immune system changes.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental toxicology
  • Immunology
  • Public health

Background:

  • Lead is a pervasive environmental toxicant affecting multiple organ systems.
  • Lead exposure has been linked to impaired immune function since the 1960s.
  • Recent research categorizes lead as an immunotoxicant that modulates immune capacity without significant cell population changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review animal and human evidence on lead's immunomodulatory effects.
  • To highlight lead's potential to increase risks for atopic and autoimmune diseases.
  • To assess lead's impact on host defense against pathogens and cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing animal and human studies on lead exposure and immune function.
  • Analysis of evidence for lead-induced shifts in immune capacity.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of age-based exposure data and long-term immune alterations.

    • Main Results:

    • Lead exposure causes significant shifts in immune function, potentially increasing the risk of atopic and autoimmune diseases.
    • Host defenses against infectious agents and cancer may be compromised by lead exposure.
    • Even blood lead levels below 10 microg/dl are associated with later-life immune alterations.

    Conclusions:

    • Lead acts as a non-cytotoxic immunomodulator, posing challenges for traditional risk assessment.
    • Lead exposure can skew immune responses, elevating risks for chronic immune-related diseases.
    • Previously considered safe lead levels may induce lasting immune system changes, necessitating updated safety guidelines.