Toxicants, which are harmful substances that can cause adverse health effects, often trigger inflammatory pathways by causing cellular damage or by interacting with specific receptors. For instance, exposure to air pollutants like particulate matter can activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, a multiprotein complex that plays a critical role in the immune response. This activation leads to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18.
