Advisor

Dr. Sanjay Batra

Second Advisor

2024

Department

Environmental Toxicology

Document Type

Presentation

Abstract

Pentachlorophenol has been in use as a pesticide, fungicide, herbicide, and insecticide since 1936. The US government outlawed PCP in 1984 due to its carcinogenic and toxic effects, however, 36 million utility poles treated with PCP still persist in US, greatly increasing the likelihood of exposure. Humans can be exposed to PCP through direct volatilization from the wood surface, either through skin contact or inhalation. Several case studies have demonstrated increased risk of exposure to PCP and its metabolites during farming- specifically in fencing, treating timber and sawmills. PANoptosis involving three key programmed cell death modes-pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis plays critical role in cellular homeostatic processes during exposure to environmental stress. Studies from our laboratory showed an increase inflammatory responses and release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPS)-like HSP70 and HMGB1 in PCP exposed lung (A549) and liver (HepG2) cells. Additionally, a potent metabolite of PCP-Tetrachlorohydroquinone (TCHQ) was observed to induce heightened transcription of cytokines/chemokines and expression of transcription factors-STAT3 and NF-ҡB compared to PCP in A549 cells. We also observed significant increase in ZBP1, a key regulator for PANoptosis in TCHQ exposed lung epithelial cell. Our next focus is to examine the role of DAMPs in regulating PCP and TCHQ induced PANoptosis in lung and liver epithelial cells. Our findings will provide critical information about the complex relationship between the immune and apoptotic pathways. In brief, our research highlights potentially harmful consequences of PCP, providing critical information about biomarkers which could be targeted for mitigating health risks in rural areas.

Presentation Date

4-6-2024

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