Cytokine Release from Organotypic Human Oral Tissue Following Exposure to Oral Care Product Chemicals

Purpose: Measuring viability of a three-dimensional in vitro organotypic human oral tissue model has been suggested as an alternative test method to the oral mucosa irritation test of oral care products. The aim of this study was to investigate the production of two different cytokines using organotypic human oral tissue model following exposure to chemicals that are commonly used in oral care products.

Materials and Methods: The organotypic human oral tissues were exposed to ethanol, sodium lauryl sulphate or hydrogen peroxide for 90 minutes. Following exposure, interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-8 productions were assessed and correlated with cell viability testing as well as histology of the organotypic human oral tissues.

Result: High levels of IL-8 were released from organotypic human oral tissues in all of the test and control groups without any significant differences between them. In contrast, differences were found in IL-1α release between the test and control groups. Additionally, the trend of IL-1α release corresponded to the phenotypes observed in histological analysis while different trend existed between IL-1α release and cell viability.

Conclusion: The study concluded the non-specific release of IL-8 for the assessment of oral care product chemicals’ toxicity, while potential of measuring IL-1α cytokine level as the possible alternative test method

EpiOral (ORL-200), ethanol, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), SDS, hydrogen peroxide, Triton X-100, IL-1a, IL-8, histology, tissue thickness

ethanol, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), SDS, hydrogen peroxide, Triton X-100