Exposure to the antimicrobial chemical triclosan disrupts keratinocyte function and skin integrity in a model of reconstructed human epidermis

Triclosan is an antimicrobial chemical incorporated into products that are applied to the skin of healthcare workers. Exposure to triclosan has previously been shown to be immunomodulatory and associated with allergic disease. Additionally, we have shown that exposure to triclosan dermally activates the NLRP3 inflammasome and disrupts the skin barrier integrity in mice. The skin is the largest organ in the body and plays an important role as a physical barrier and regulator of the immune system. Alterations in the barrier and immune regulatory functions of the skin have been demonstrated to increase the risk of sensitization and development of allergic disease. In this study, the impact of triclosan exposure on the skin barrier and keratinocyte function was investigated using a model of reconstructed human epidermis. The apical surface of reconstructed human epidermis was exposed to triclosan once for 6, 24, or 48 hours or daily for 5 consecutive days.

三氯生（Triclosan）是一种被添加至医护人员皮肤外用产品中的抗菌化学物质。既往研究表明，三氯生暴露具有免疫调节活性，且与过敏性疾病存在关联。此外，本课题组此前已证实，经皮暴露于三氯生可激活NLRP3炎症小体（NLRP3 inflammasome），并破坏小鼠的皮肤屏障完整性。皮肤是人体最大的器官，作为物理屏障与免疫系统调控因子发挥关键作用。现有研究证实，皮肤屏障与免疫调节功能的异常会提升致敏风险，并促进过敏性疾病的发生发展。本研究采用重建人表皮（reconstructed human epidermis）模型，探究了三氯生暴露对皮肤屏障及角质形成细胞功能的影响。研究中将重建人表皮的顶端表面单次暴露于三氯生，暴露时长分别为6、24或48小时，或连续5天每日暴露一次。