Toxicity as a result of immunostimulation by biologics.

The immune system has evolved highly effective mechanisms of surveillance and defense against foreign pathogens, and is also thought to act in surveillance and suppression of cancer. Thus, a predominant goal of immune system-based therapies is to normalize or enhance the host immune response in the areas of infectious disease and oncology. This review considers general approaches used for therapeutic immunostimulation, alterations in immune response mechanisms that occur with these treatments and the syndromes that commonly arise as a result of these changes.

The magnitude of methylmercury-induced cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest is p53-dependent.

Background: Methylmercury (MeHg), a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, is a known potent teratogen selectively affecting the developing central nervous system. While a definitive mechanism for MeHg-induced developmental neurotoxicity remains elusive, in utero exposure has been associated with reduced brain weight and reduction in cell number. This suggests early toxicant interference with critical molecular signaling events controlling cell behavior, i.