MDMs (N= minimum of 3 donors)(Panels A,B) or MH-S cells (Panels C-G) (N= 5 independent experiments) were maintained in normal or zinc deficient medium for 3 weeks and then stimulated with HDE for 0 (baseline), 6, and 24 hours. Levels of IL-23 and IL-8 in MDMs or IL-23, CXCL1, TNFα, and Amphiregulin in MH-S cells were quantitated in cell-free supernatants by ELISA. Both MDM and MH-S cultures that were maintained in zinc deficient medium exhibited a significant increase in IL-23 and IL-8/CXCL1. Supplementation of zinc pyrithione 30 minutes before HDE exposure significantly decreased IL-23 production in zinc deficient cultures comparable to the response of zinc sufficient culture. (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 ). Significance values for indicated comparisons by ANOVA and Tukey’s post test.