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Prenatal triclosan exposure and cord blood immune system biomarkers

Jillian Ashley-Martin1, Linda Dodds1, Tye E Arbuckle2

  • 1Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit, Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada.

International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
|May 12, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal exposure to triclosan, an antimicrobial agent, was not associated with altered immune system biomarkers in newborns. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of triclosan on childhood immunity.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Immunology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Triclosan is a common antimicrobial agent with suspected links to asthma and allergies.
  • Limited research exists on triclosan's allergenicity, particularly concerning prenatal exposure and its impact on the developing immune system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prenatal triclosan exposure and immune system biomarkers in cord blood.
  • To assess the relationship between maternal urinary triclosan levels during early pregnancy and concentrations of immunoglobulin E (IgE), thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), and interleukin-33 (IL-33) in newborns.

Main Methods:

  • Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from the MIREC Biobank (n=1219).
  • Maternal urine samples were analyzed for triclosan concentrations during 6-13 weeks of gestation.
  • Cord blood was tested for IgE, TSLP, and IL-33 levels.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant associations were found between prenatal triclosan concentrations and elevated levels of IgE, TSLP, or IL-33 in cord blood.
  • The study did not identify a link between maternal triclosan exposure in early pregnancy and these specific neonatal immune markers.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal exposure to triclosan, based on urinary concentrations, does not appear to affect key neonatal immune biomarkers at birth.
  • Longitudinal studies are required to determine the long-term implications of these findings for immune development and allergic disease risk in childhood.

Keywords:
Birth cohortImmune system developmentPregnancyTriclosan

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