Triclosan is associated with breast cancer via oxidative stress and relative telomere length

Xiaomin Cai; Caibo Ning; Linyun Fan; Yanmin Li; Lu Wang; Heng He; Tianyi Dong; Yimin Cai; Ming Zhang; Zequn Lu; Can Chen; Ke Shi; Tianrun Ye; Rong Zhong; Jianbo Tian; Heng Li; Haijie Li; Ying Zhu; Xiaoping Miao

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1163965

Triclosan is associated with breast cancer via oxidative stress and relative telomere length

Front Public Health. 2023 May 5:11:1163965. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1163965. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Xiaomin Cai¹, Caibo Ning¹, Linyun Fan¹, Yanmin Li¹, Lu Wang¹, Heng He², Tianyi Dong³, Yimin Cai¹, Ming Zhang¹, Zequn Lu¹, Can Chen¹, Ke Shi¹, Tianrun Ye⁴, Rong Zhong¹, Jianbo Tian⁵, Heng Li⁴, Haijie Li⁶, Ying Zhu⁵, Xiaoping Miao¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
² Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
³ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
⁴ Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University; Research Center of Public Health, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
⁶ Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Triclosan (TCS), a widely prescribed broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, is an endocrine-disrupting chemical. The relationship and biological mechanisms between TCS exposure and breast cancer (BC) are disputed. We aimed to examine the correlation between urinary TCS exposure and BC risk and estimated the mediating effects of oxidative stress and relative telomere length (RTL) in the above association.

Methods: This case-control study included 302 BC patients and 302 healthy individuals in Wuhan, China. We detected urinary TCS, three common oxidative stress biomarkers [8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-iso-prostaglandin F_2α (8-isoPGF_2α), 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid (HNE-MA)], and RTL in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Results: Significant associations were observed between log-transformed urinary concentrations of TCS, 8-OHdG, HNE-MA, 8-isoPGF_2α, RTL, and BC risk, with the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) being 1.58 (1.32-1.91), 3.08 (1.55-6.23), 3.39 (2.45-4.77), 3.99 (2.48-6.54), and 1.67 (1.35-2.09), respectively. Continuous TCS exposure was significantly positively correlated with RTL, HNE-MA, and 8-isoPGF_2α (all p<0.05) but not with 8-OHdG (p = 0.060) after adjusting for covariates. The mediated proportions of 8-isoPGF2_2α and RTL in the relationship between TCS and BC risk were 12.84% and 8.95%, respectively (all p<0.001).

Discussion: In conclusion, our study provides epidemiological evidence to confirmed the deleterious effects of TCS on BC and indicated the mediating effect of oxidative stress and RTL on the correlation between TCS and BC risk. Moreover, exploring the contribution of TCS to BC can clarify the biological mechanisms of TCS exposure, provide new clues for the pathogenesis of BC, which is of great significance to improving public health systems.

Keywords: 8-OHdG; 8-isoPGF2α; BC; HNE-MA; RTL; TCS; mediation effect.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine
Breast Neoplasms*
Case-Control Studies
Female
Humans
Leukocytes, Mononuclear
Oxidative Stress
Telomere
Triclosan* / adverse effects

Substances

Triclosan
8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine