Summary:
Allergic and chronic inflammatory diseases have been increasing worldwide, driven not only by genetics but also by environmental and lifestyle factors linked to Westernization and urbanization. Modern indoor living, diets high in ultra-processed foods, reduced contact with natural environments, pollution, and climate change all contribute to microbial imbalances, systemic inflammation, and impaired epithelial barrier function. These factors increase exposure to allergens and toxins, promoting immune dysregulation and inflammation. This paper explores the Epithelial Barrier Theory, which explains how environmental disruptors such as pollutants, detergents, food additives, and nanoparticles damage epithelial barriers, allowing microbes and allergens to penetrate tissue. This triggers chronic inflammation, microbial dysbiosis, and immune responses, creating a vicious cycle that underlies allergic and other immune-related diseases. Maintaining healthy microbiota, reducing exposure to harmful substances, and protecting environmental diversity are essential strategies for preserving epithelial barrier integrity and preventing disease.
Abstract:
Modernization and Westernization in industrialized and developing nations is associated with a substantial increase in chronic noncommunicable diseases. This transformation has far-reaching effects on lifestyles, impacting areas such as economics, politics, social life, and culture, all of which, in turn, have diverse influences on public health. Loss of contact with nature, alternations in the microbiota, processed food consumption, exposure to environmental pollutants including chemicals, increased stress and decreased physical activity jointly result in increases in the frequency of inflammatory disorders including allergies and many autoimmune and neuropsychiatric diseases. This review aims to investigate the relationship between Western lifestyle and inflammatory disorders. Recent Findings: Several hypotheses have been put forth trying to explain the observed increases in these diseases, such as ‘Hygiene Hypothesis’, ‘Old Friends’, and ‘Biodiversity and Dysbiosis’. The recently introduced ‘Epithelial Barrier Theory’ incorporates these former hypotheses and suggests that toxic substances in cleaning agents, laundry and dishwasher detergents, shampoos, toothpastes, as well as microplastic, packaged food and air pollution damage the epithelium of our skin, lungs and gastrointestinal system. Epithelial barrier disruption leads to decreased biodiversity of the microbiome and the development of opportunistic pathogen colonization, which upon interaction with the immune system, initiates local and systemic inflammation. Summary: Gaining a deeper comprehension of the interplay between the environment, microbiome and the immune system provides the data to assist with legally regulating the usage of toxic substances, to enable nontoxic alternatives and to mitigate these environmental challenges essential for fostering a harmonious and healthy global environment.
Article Publication Date: 17/06/2024
DOI: 10.1007/s11882-024-01149-7
