ABSTRACT
Pollution in the world and exposure of humans and nature to toxic substances is continuously worsening at a rapid pace. In the last 60 years, human and domestic animal health has been challenged by continuous exposure to toxic substances and pollutants because of uncontrolled growth, modernization, and industrialization. More than 350,000 new chemicals have been introduced to our lives, mostly without any reasonable control of their health effects and toxicity. A plethora of studies show exposure to these harmful substances during this period with their implications on the skin and mucosal epithelial barrier and increasing prevalence of allergic and autoimmune diseases in the context of the “epithelial barrier hypothesis”. Exposure to these substances causes an epithelial injury with peri-epithelial inflammation, microbial dysbiosis and bacterial translocation to sub-epithelial areas, and immune response to dysbiotic bacteria. Here, we provide scientific evidence on the altered human exposome and its impact on epithelial barriers.
Abbreviations
AGEs | = | Advanced glycation endproducts |
AR | = | Allergic rhinitis |
AhR | = | Aryl hydrocarbon receptor |
AD | = | Atopic dermatitis |
CO | = | Carbon monoxide |
CNMS | = | Carbon nanomaterials |
CNT | = | Carbon nanotubes |
CMC | = | Carboxymethylcellulose |
COPD | = | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
DEP | = | Diesel exhaust particulates |
EIS | = | Electrical impedance spectroscopy |
E-cigarette | = | Electronic cigarettes |
FLG | = | Filaggrin |
ILC | = | Innate lymphoid cell |
IL | = | Interleukin |
Fe3 | = | Iron oxide |
MP | = | Microplastic |
NP | = | Nanoplastic |
NO | = | Nitric oxide |
NO2 | = | Nitrogen dioxide |
NHBECS | = | Normal human bronchial epithelial cells |
PM | = | Particulate matter |
P80 | = | Polysorbate 80 |
PG | = | Propylene glycol |
ROS | = | Reactive oxygen species |
SiO | = | Silica dioxide |
SDS | = | Sodium dodecyl sulphate |
SDBS | = | Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate |
SO2 | = | Sulphur dioxide |
TJ | = | Tight junction |
Th | = | T helper |
TiO | = | Titanium dioxide |
TLR | = | Toll-like receptor |
VG | = | Vegetable glycerine |
VOCS | = | Volatile organic compounds |
WHO | = | World Health Organization |
ZnO | = | Zinc oxide |
ZO | = | Zonula occludens |
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).