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Interleukin 1β and interleukin 6 production in human immune cells is stimulated by the antibacterial compound Triclosan

  • Immunotoxicology
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Abstract

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound widely used in personal hygiene products such as mouthwash and toothpaste; and has been found in human blood, breast milk, and urine. Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 beta (IL-1β) are pro-inflammatory cytokines regulating cell growth, tissue repair, and immune function; increased levels of each have been associated with many diseases, including cancer. Previous studies showed that TCS at concentrations between 0.05 and 5 µM consistently increased the secretion of IL-1β and IL-6 from human immune cells within 24 h of exposure. The current study demonstrates that this increase in secretion was not due simply to release of existing stores but was due to an increase in cellular production/levels (both secreted and intracellular levels) of each of these cytokines. Production of IL-1β and IL-6 was increased by exposure to one or more concentration of TCS at each length of exposure (10 min, 30 min, 6 h, and 24 h). TCS-induced stimulation of cytokine production was shown to be dependent on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p44/42 (ERK 1/2). It was also shown that these TCS-induced increases in IL-1β and IL6 production were accompanied by increased mRNA for IL-1β and IL-6. The ability of TCS to increase production indicates that rather than activating a self-limiting process of depleting cells of already existing stores of IL-1β or IL-6, TCS can stimulate a process that has the capacity to provide sustained production of these cytokines and thus may lead to chronic inflammation and its pathological consequences.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by Grant U54CA163066 and 5T34GM007663 from the National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37209, USA

    Wendy J. Wilburn

  2. Department of Chemistry, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37209, USA

    Sahra Gabure & Margaret M. Whalen

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Correspondence to Margaret M. Whalen.

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Wilburn, W.J., Gabure, S. & Whalen, M.M. Interleukin 1β and interleukin 6 production in human immune cells is stimulated by the antibacterial compound Triclosan. Arch Toxicol 98, 883–895 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-023-03654-6

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