A fresh perspective - Advancing fish immunotoxicology in a complex world

FEBS Letters
By: , and 

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Abstract

Understanding how environmental changes affect the health of organisms and ecosystems is complex, but recent interdisciplinary advances and the recognition of immune function as a dynamic mediator offer exciting progress. Environmental immunotoxicology in teleost fishes is evolving beyond cataloguing stressors towards a mechanistic, integrative framework that leverages omics, in vivo tracking and cross-disciplinary modelling. However, knowledge gaps in immune mechanisms, toxicokinetics and multi-stressor interactions remain. The present work highlights these gaps, advocating for immune function as both a mechanistic lens and an integrative health indicator. Such a framework can improve predictive risk assessments, management strategies and our understanding of contaminant effects on resilience, disease susceptibility and population viability. While challenges remain, the field is poised for significant growth through collaborative innovation and advancing technology.

Suggested Citation

Smith, C.R., Burattin, L., Iglesias, N.R., Sullivan, R., Rice, C.D., Segner, H., Tort, L., 2026, A fresh perspective - Advancing fish immunotoxicology in a complex world: FEBS Letters, 19 p., https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.70296.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A fresh perspective - Advancing fish immunotoxicology in a complex world
Series title FEBS Letters
DOI 10.1002/1873-3468.70296
Edition Online First
Publication Date February 04, 2026
Year Published 2026
Language English
Publisher FEBS Press
Contributing office(s) Eastern Ecological Science Center
Description 19 p.
Additional publication details