Membrane-bound metallothionein 1 of murine dendritic cells promotes the expansion of regulatory T cells in vitro.

Exposure to environmental toxicants can alter a range of cellular functions involved in the immune response. Increased expression of the stress protein metallothionein 1 (MT1) is one example hereof. Previously, it has been reported that MT1 has several immunosuppressive properties.

Non-dioxin-like AhR ligands in a mouse peanut allergy model.

Recently, we have shown that AhR activation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) suppresses sensitization to peanut at least in part by inducing a functional shift toward CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) T cells. Next to TCDD, numerous other AhR ligands have been described. In this study, we investigated the effect of three structurally different non-dioxin-like AhR ligands, e.