Triclosan (TCS) is a ubiquitous antimicrobial
used in many daily
consumer products. It has been reported to induce endocrine disrupting
effects at low doses in mammals, disturbing sex hormone function and
thyroid function. The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in the maintenance
of neuroendocrine function and energy homeostasis. We speculated that
the adverse effects of TCS might be related to the disturbance of
metabolic processes in hypothalamus. The present study aimed at investigating
the effects of TCS exposure on the protein and metabolite profiles
in hypothalamus of mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were orally exposed to
TCS at the dosage of 10 mg/kg/d for 13 weeks. The hypothalamus was
isolated and processed for mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics
and metabolomics analyses. The results showed that a 10.6% decrease
(P = 0.066) in body weight gain was observed in the
TCS exposure group compared with vehicle control group. Differential
analysis defined 52 proteins and 57 metabolites that delineated TCS
exposed mice from vehicle controls. Among the differential features,
multiple proteins and metabolites were found to play vital roles in
neuronal signaling and function. Bioinformatics analysis revealed
that these differentially expressed proteins and metabolites were
involved in four major biological processes, including glucose metabolism,
purine metabolism, neurotransmitter release, and neural plasticity,
suggesting the disturbance of homeostasis in energy metabolism, mitochondria
function, neurotransmitter system, and neuronal function. Our results
may provide insights into the neurotoxicity of TCS and extend our
understanding of the biological effects induced by TCS exposure.