Immunotoxicology of Metals

This review provides information on how our understanding of the immunotoxicology of select inorganic agents, that is, metals, has evolved over the past ≈ 40 + years. Specifically, it covers the literature to date dealing with arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc, in each of their various (in)organic forms with differing chemistries, sizes, and solubilities. For each metal, some background information regarding occupational/environmental levels that are readily encountered is presented. Thereafter, specific effects on humoral, cell-mediated, and innate immune functions are provided. For some metals, potential mechanisms of action are presented. Lastly, the article reports on information on immunotoxicologic mechanisms for these (and for silver and copper) that have been gleaned since the rise of proteomics, transcriptomics, genomics, etc., and even more recently, epigenomics (i.e., heritable changes). Though a large review, it is impossible to cover all metals, including some Readers may think merit more of a place here than presented. It certainly would be worthwhile to have had provided information on immunotoxicologic effects of aluminum, beryllium, lead, manganese, mercury, platinum, and/or iron. It is hoped subsequently, one or more authors will survey the literature covering those metals and provide a review of each alone—or several in compilation.