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Catlin NR, Cappon GD, Davenport SD, Stethem CM, Nowland WS, Campion SN, Bowman CJ. New approach methodologies to confirm developmental toxicity of pharmaceuticals based on weight of evidence. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 129:108686. [PMID: 39128486 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
The aim of embryo-fetal developmental toxicity assessments for pharmaceuticals is to inform potential risk of adverse pregnancy outcome, which has traditionally relied on studies in pregnant animals. Recent updates to international safety guidelines (ICH S5R3) have incorporated information on how to use weight of evidence and alternative assays to reduce animal use while still informing risk of fetal harm. Uptake of these alternative approaches has been slow due to limitations in understanding how alternative assays translate to in vivo effects and then relevance to human exposure. To understand the predictivity of new approach methodologies for developmental toxicity (DevTox NAMs), we used two pharmaceutical examples (glasdegib and lorlatinib) to illustrate the value of DevTox NAMs to complement weight of evidence (WoE) assessments while considering the relationship of concentration-effect levels in NAMs to in vivo studies. The in vitro results generated in a battery of assays (mEST, rWEC, zebrafish, and human based stem cells) confirmed the WoE based on literature and further confirmed by preliminary embryo-fetal development data. The data generated for these two compounds supports integrating DevTox NAMs into the developmental toxicity assessment for advanced cancer indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha R Catlin
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Research & Development, Groton, CT, USA.
| | - Gregg D Cappon
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Research & Development, Groton, CT, USA; Current: ToxStrategies, Katy, TX, USA
| | - Scott D Davenport
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Research & Development, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Christine M Stethem
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Research & Development, Groton, CT, USA
| | - William S Nowland
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Research & Development, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Sarah N Campion
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Research & Development, Groton, CT, USA
| | - Christopher J Bowman
- Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Research & Development, Groton, CT, USA
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2
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Liu S, Kawanishi T, Shimada A, Ikeda N, Yamane M, Takeda H, Tasaki J. Identification of an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) for chemical-induced craniofacial anomalies using the transgenic zebrafish model. Toxicol Sci 2023; 196:38-51. [PMID: 37531284 PMCID: PMC10614053 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Craniofacial anomalies are one of the most frequent birth defects worldwide and are often caused by genetic and environmental factors such as pharmaceuticals and chemical agents. Although identifying adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) is a central issue for evaluating the teratogenicity, the AOP causing craniofacial anomalies has not been identified. Recently, zebrafish has gained interest as an emerging model for predicting teratogenicity because of high throughput, cost-effectiveness and availability of various tools for examining teratogenic mechanisms. Here, we established zebrafish sox10-EGFP reporter lines to visualize cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) and have identified the AOPs for craniofacial anomalies. When we exposed the transgenic embryos to teratogens that were reported to cause craniofacial anomalies in mammals, CNCC migration and subsequent morphogenesis of the first pharyngeal arch were impaired at 24 hours post-fertilization. We also found that cell proliferation and apoptosis of the migratory CNCCs were disturbed, which would be key events of the AOP. From these results, we propose that our sox10-EGFP reporter lines serve as a valuable model for detecting craniofacial skeletal abnormalities, from early to late developmental stages. Given that the developmental process of CNCCs around this stage is highly conserved between zebrafish and mammals, our findings can be extrapolated to mammalian craniofacial development and thus help in predicting craniofacial anomalies in human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujie Liu
- R&D, Safety Science Research, Kao Corporation, Tochigi 321-3497, Japan
| | - Toru Kawanishi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8501, Japan
| | - Atsuko Shimada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Naohiro Ikeda
- R&D, Safety Science Research, Kao Corporation, Kanagawa 210-0821, Japan
| | - Masayuki Yamane
- R&D, Safety Science Research, Kao Corporation, Tochigi 321-3497, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto 603-8555, Japan
| | - Junichi Tasaki
- R&D, Safety Science Research, Kao Corporation, Kanagawa 210-0821, Japan
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3
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Takla TN, Luo J, Sudyk R, Huang J, Walker JC, Vora NL, Sexton JZ, Parent JM, Tidball AM. A Shared Pathogenic Mechanism for Valproic Acid and SHROOM3 Knockout in a Brain Organoid Model of Neural Tube Defects. Cells 2023; 12:1697. [PMID: 37443734 PMCID: PMC10340169 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs), including anencephaly and spina bifida, are common major malformations of fetal development resulting from incomplete closure of the neural tube. These conditions lead to either universal death (anencephaly) or severe lifelong complications (spina bifida). Despite hundreds of genetic mouse models of neural tube defect phenotypes, the genetics of human NTDs are poorly understood. Furthermore, pharmaceuticals, such as antiseizure medications, have been found clinically to increase the risk of NTDs when administered during pregnancy. Therefore, a model that recapitulates human neurodevelopment would be of immense benefit to understand the genetics underlying NTDs and identify teratogenic mechanisms. Using our self-organizing single rosette cortical organoid (SOSR-COs) system, we have developed a high-throughput image analysis pipeline for evaluating the SOSR-CO structure for NTD-like phenotypes. Similar to small molecule inhibition of apical constriction, the antiseizure medication valproic acid (VPA), a known cause of NTDs, increases the apical lumen size and apical cell surface area in a dose-responsive manner. GSK3β and HDAC inhibitors caused similar lumen expansion; however, RNA sequencing suggests VPA does not inhibit GSK3β at these concentrations. The knockout of SHROOM3, a well-known NTD-related gene, also caused expansion of the lumen, as well as reduced f-actin polarization. The increased lumen sizes were caused by reduced cell apical constriction, suggesting that impingement of this process is a shared mechanism for VPA treatment and SHROOM3-KO, two well-known causes of NTDs. Our system allows the rapid identification of NTD-like phenotypes for both compounds and genetic variants and should prove useful for understanding specific NTD mechanisms and predicting drug teratogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor N. Takla
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (R.S.)
| | - Jinghui Luo
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (R.S.)
| | - Roksolana Sudyk
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (R.S.)
| | - Joy Huang
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (R.S.)
| | - John Clayton Walker
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (R.S.)
| | - Neeta L. Vora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jonathan Z. Sexton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Center for Drug Repurposing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jack M. Parent
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (R.S.)
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
| | - Andrew M. Tidball
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA (R.S.)
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Ben Chabchoubi I, Lam SS, Pane SE, Ksibi M, Guerriero G, Hentati O. Hazard and health risk assessment of exposure to pharmaceutical active compounds via toxicological evaluation by zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 324:120698. [PMID: 36435277 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The uncontrolled or continuous release of effluents from wastewater treatment plants leads to the omnipresence of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) in the aquatic media. Today, this is a confirmed problem becoming a main subject of twin public and scientific concerns. However, still little information is available about the long-term impacts of these PhACs on aquatic organisms. In this review, efforts were made to reveal correlation between the occurrence in the environment, ecotoxicological and health risks of different PhACs via toxicological evaluation by zebrafish (Danio rerio). This animal model served as a bioindicator for any health impacts after the exposure to these contaminants and to better understand the responses in relation to human diseases. This review paper focused on the calculation of Risk Quotients (RQs) of 34 PhACs based on environmental and ecotoxicological data available in the literature and prediction from the ECOSAR V2.2 software. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the risk assessment of PhACs by the two different methods as mentioned above. RQs showed greater difference in potential environmental risks of the PhACs. These differences in risk values underline the importance of environmental and experimental factors in exposure conditions and the interpretation of RQ values. While the results showed high risk to Danio rerio of the majority of PhACs, risk qualification of the others varied between moderate to insignifiant. Further research is needed to assess pharmaceutical hazards when present in wastewater before discharge and monitor the effectiveness of treatment processes. The recent new advances in the morphological assessment of toxicant-exposed zebrafish larvae for the determination of test compounds effects on the developmental endpoints were also discussed. This review emphasizes the need for strict regulations on the release of PhACs into environmental media in order to minimize their toxicity to aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imen Ben Chabchoubi
- Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Université de Monastir, Rue Taher Haddad, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia; Laboratoire Génie de l'Environnement et Ecotechnologie (GEET), Université de Sfax, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax (ENIS), Route de Soukra, Km 3.5, B.P. 1173, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Su Shiung Lam
- Higher Institution Center of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), University Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia; Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248007, India
| | - Stacey Ellen Pane
- Department of Biology, Federico II University of Naples, Via Cinthia 26, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Mohamed Ksibi
- Laboratoire Génie de l'Environnement et Ecotechnologie (GEET), Université de Sfax, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax (ENIS), Route de Soukra, Km 3.5, B.P. 1173, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Giulia Guerriero
- Department of Biology, Federico II University of Naples, Via Cinthia 26, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Olfa Hentati
- Laboratoire Génie de l'Environnement et Ecotechnologie (GEET), Université de Sfax, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax (ENIS), Route de Soukra, Km 3.5, B.P. 1173, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia; Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Université de Sfax, Route de Soukra, Km 4.5, B.P 1175, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia.
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5
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Takla TN, Luo J, Sudyk R, Huang J, Walker JC, Vora NL, Sexton JZ, Parent JM, Tidball AM. A Shared Pathogenic Mechanism for Valproic Acid and SHROOM3 Knockout in a Brain Organoid Model of Neural Tube Defects. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.11.536245. [PMID: 37090564 PMCID: PMC10120643 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.11.536245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) including anencephaly and spina bifida are common major malformations of fetal development resulting from incomplete closure of the neural tube. These conditions lead to either universal death (anencephaly) or life-long severe complications (spina bifida). Despite hundreds of genetic mouse models having neural tube defect phenotypes, the genetics of human NTDs are poorly understood. Furthermore, pharmaceuticals such as antiseizure medications have been found clinically to increase the risk of NTDs when administered during pregnancy. Therefore, a model that recapitulates human neurodevelopment would be of immense benefit to understand the genetics underlying NTDs and identify teratogenic mechanisms. Using our self-organizing single rosette spheroid (SOSRS) brain organoid system, we have developed a high-throughput image analysis pipeline for evaluating SOSRS structure for NTD-like phenotypes. Similar to small molecule inhibition of apical constriction, the antiseizure medication valproic acid (VPA), a known cause of NTDs, increases the apical lumen size and apical cell surface area in a dose-responsive manner. This expansion was mimicked by GSK3β and HDAC inhibitors; however, RNA sequencing suggests VPA does not inhibit GSK3β at these concentrations. Knockout of SHROOM3, a well-known NTD-related gene, also caused expansion of the lumen as well as reduced f-actin polarization. The increased lumen sizes were caused by reduced cell apical constriction suggesting that impingement of this process is a shared mechanism for VPA treatment and SHROOM3-KO, two well-known causes of NTDs. Our system allows the rapid identification of NTD-like phenotypes for both compounds and genetic variants and should prove useful for understanding specific NTD mechanisms and predicting drug teratogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor N. Takla
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Jinghui Luo
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Roksolana Sudyk
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Joy Huang
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - J. Clayton Walker
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Neeta L. Vora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Jonathan Z. Sexton
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI
- Center for Drug Repurposing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Jack M. Parent
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Andrew M. Tidball
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
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AbdRabou MA, Alrashdi BM, Alruwaili HK, Elmazoudy RH, Alwaili MA, Othman SI, Alghamdi FA, Fahmy GH. Exploration of Maternal and Fetal Toxicity Risks for Metronidazole-Related Teratogenicity and Hepatotoxicity through an Assessment in Albino Rats. TOXICS 2023; 11:303. [PMID: 37112529 PMCID: PMC10141390 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11040303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Metronidazole is the primary antimicrobial drug for treating acute and chronic vaginal pathogens during pregnancy; however, there has been insufficient research on placental disorders, early pregnancy loss, and preterm birth. Here, the potential activity of metronidazole on pregnancy outcomes was investigated. 130 mg/kg body weight of metronidazole was orally given individually to pregnant rats on gestation days 0-7, 7-14, and 0-20. Pregnancy outcome evaluations were carried out on gestation day 20. It was demonstrated that metronidazole could induce maternal and fetal hepatotoxicity. There is a significant increase in the activities of maternal hepatic enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP), total cholesterol, and triglycerides compared with the control. These biochemical findings were evidenced by maternal and fetal liver histopathological alterations. Furthermore, metronidazole caused a significant decrease in the number of implantation sites and fetal viability, whereas it caused an increase in fetal lethality and the number of fetal resorptions. In addition, a significant decrease in fetal weight, placental weight, and placental diameter was estimated. Macroscopical examination revealed placental discoloration and hypotrophy in the labyrinth zone and the degeneration of the basal zone. The fetal defects are related to exencephaly, visceral hernias, and tail defects. These findings suggest that the administration of metroniazole during gestation interferes with embryonic implantation and fetal organogenesis and enhances placental pathology. We can also conclude that metronidazole has potential maternal and fetal risks and is unsafe during pregnancy. Additionally, it should be strictly advised and prescribed, and further consideration should be given to the associated health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mervat A. AbdRabou
- Biology Department, College of Science, Jouf University, P.O. Box 2014, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
| | - Barakat M. Alrashdi
- Biology Department, College of Science, Jouf University, P.O. Box 2014, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hadeel K. Alruwaili
- Biology Department, College of Science, Jouf University, P.O. Box 2014, Sakaka 72388, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reda H. Elmazoudy
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maha A. Alwaili
- Biology Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah I. Othman
- Biology Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fawzyah A. Alghamdi
- Biology Department, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gehan H. Fahmy
- Biology Department, College of Science, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah 30001, Saudi Arabia
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Prenatal Developmental Toxicity and Histopathological Changes of the Placenta Induced by Syzygium guineense Leaf Extract in Rats. J Toxicol 2022; 2022:5209136. [PMID: 36267160 PMCID: PMC9578917 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5209136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the traditional herbal products are served to the consumer without proper efficacy and safety investigations. A laboratory-based experimental study was employed to investigate the toxic effects of Syzygium guineense leaf extract on the fetal development and histopathology of the placenta in rats. Fifty pregnant Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated into five groups, each consisting of 10 rats. S. guineense leaf extract, at doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg of body weight, was respectively administered to groups I-III rats. Groups four and five were control and ad libitum control, respectively. The number of resorptions, implantation sites, and live or dead fetuses was counted. The weight and crown-rump length of the fetuses were measured. The histopathological investigation of the placenta was conducted. Administration of 70% ethanol extract of S. guineense leaves reduced weight gain and food intake of pregnant rats at p value <0.05. The crown-rump length of the near-term rat fetus was significantly reduced in rats treated with 1000 mg/kg body weight of S. guineense extract (p value <0.05). The plant extract did not affect the number of implantations, fetal resorptions, live births, and stillbirths. The weight of the fetuses and the placentae also decreased dose-dependently. Decidual cystic degeneration was the most prevalent histopathological change observed in a rat's placenta treated with 1000 mg/kg body weight of S. guineense extract. Consumption of S. guineense leaves, especially at a high dose, may affect fetal development. Therefore, liberal use of S. guineense leaves during pregnancy should be avoided.
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The DevTox Germ Layer Reporter Platform: An Assay Adaptation of the Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Test. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10070392. [PMID: 35878297 PMCID: PMC9321663 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10070392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Environmental chemical exposures are a contributing factor to birth defects affecting infant morbidity and mortality. The USA EPA is committed to developing new approach methods (NAMs) to detect chemical risks to susceptible populations, including pregnant women. NAM-based coverage for cellular mechanisms associated with early human development could enhance identification of potential developmental toxicants (DevTox) for new and existing data-poor chemicals. The human pluripotent stem cell test (hPST) is an in vitro test method for rapidly identifying potential human developmental toxicants that employs directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells to measure reductions in SOX17 biomarker expression and nuclear localization. The objective of this study was to expand on the hPST principles to develop a model platform (DevTox GLR) that utilizes the transgenic RUES2-GLR cell line expressing fluorescent reporter fusion protein biomarkers for SOX17 (endoderm marker), BRA (mesoderm marker), and SOX2 (ectoderm and pluripotency marker). Initial assay adaption to definitive endoderm (DevTox GLR-Endo) was performed to emulate the hPST SOX17 endpoint and enable comparative evaluation of concordant chemical effects. Assay duration was reduced to two days and screening throughput scaled to 384-well format for enhanced speed and efficiency. Assay performance for 66 chemicals derived from reference and training set data resulted in a balanced accuracy of 72% (79% sensitivity and 65% specificity). The DevTox GLR-Endo assay demonstrates successful adaptation of the hPST concept with increased throughput, shorter assay duration, and minimal endpoint processing. The DevTox GLR model platform expands the in vitro NAM toolbox to rapidly identify potential developmental hazards and mechanistically characterize toxicant effects on pathways and processes associated with early human development.
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Piersma AH, Baker NC, Daston GP, Flick B, Fujiwara M, Knudsen TB, Spielmann H, Suzuki N, Tsaioun K, Kojima H. Pluripotent stem cell assays: Modalities and applications for predictive developmental toxicity. Curr Res Toxicol 2022; 3:100074. [PMID: 35633891 PMCID: PMC9130094 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2022.100074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This manuscript provides a review focused on embryonic stem cell-based models and their place within the landscape of alternative developmental toxicity assays. Against the background of the principles of developmental toxicology, the wide diversity of alternative methods using pluripotent stem cells developed in this area over the past half century is reviewed. In order to provide an overview of available models, a systematic scoping review was conducted following a published protocol with inclusion criteria, which were applied to select the assays. Critical aspects including biological domain, readout endpoint, availability of standardized protocols, chemical domain, reproducibility and predictive power of each assay are described in detail, in order to review the applicability and limitations of the platform in general and progress moving forward to implementation. The horizon of innovative routes of promoting regulatory implementation of alternative methods is scanned, and recommendations for further work are given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldert H. Piersma
- Center for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | | | - George P. Daston
- Global Product Stewardship, The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Burkhard Flick
- Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Michio Fujiwara
- Drug Safety Research Labs, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba-shi, Japan
| | - Thomas B. Knudsen
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, USA
| | - Horst Spielmann
- Institute for Pharmacy, Faculty of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Noriyuki Suzuki
- Cell Science Group Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Katya Tsaioun
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hajime Kojima
- National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan
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Jamalpoor A, Hartvelt S, Dimopoulou M, Zwetsloot T, Brandsma I, Racz PI, Osterlund T, Hendriks G. A novel human stem cell-based biomarker assay for in vitro assessment of developmental toxicity. Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:1210-1228. [PMID: 35289129 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Testing for developmental toxicity according to the current regulatory guidelines requires large numbers of animals, making these tests very resource intensive, time-consuming, and ethically debatable. Over the past decades, several alternative in vitro assays have been developed, but these often suffered from low predictability and the inability to provide a mechanistic understanding of developmental toxicity. METHODS To identify embryotoxic compounds, we developed a human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs)-based biomarker assay. The assay is based on the differentiation of hiPSCs into functional cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes. Proper stem cell differentiation is investigated by morphological profiling and assessment of time-dependent expression patterns of cell-specific biomarkers. In this system, a decrease in the expression of the biomarker genes and morphology disruption of the differentiated cells following compound treatment indicated teratogenicity. RESULTS The hiPSCs-based biomarker assay was validated with 21 well-established in vivo animal teratogenic and non-teratogenic compounds during cardiomyocyte and hepatocyte differentiation. The in vivo teratogenic compounds (e.g., thalidomide and valproic acid) markedly disrupted morphology, functionality, and the expression pattern of the biomarker genes in either one or both cell types. Non-teratogenic chemicals generally had no effect on the morphology of differentiated cells, nor on the expression of the biomarker genes. Compared to the in vivo classification, the assay achieved high accuracy (91%), sensitivity (91%), and specificity (90%). CONCLUSION The assay, which we named ReproTracker®, is a state-of-the-art in vitro method that can identify the teratogenicity potential of new pharmaceuticals and chemicals and signify the outcome of in vivo test systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amer Jamalpoor
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine Hartvelt
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
| | - Myrto Dimopoulou
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
| | - Tom Zwetsloot
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
| | - Inger Brandsma
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
| | - Peter I Racz
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
| | - Torben Osterlund
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
| | - Giel Hendriks
- Toxys B.V., Leiden Bio Science Park, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
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Bauer B, Mally A, Liedtke D. Zebrafish Embryos and Larvae as Alternative Animal Models for Toxicity Testing. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13417. [PMID: 34948215 PMCID: PMC8707050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prerequisite to any biological laboratory assay employing living animals is consideration about its necessity, feasibility, ethics and the potential harm caused during an experiment. The imperative of these thoughts has led to the formulation of the 3R-principle, which today is a pivotal scientific standard of animal experimentation worldwide. The rising amount of laboratory investigations utilizing living animals throughout the last decades, either for regulatory concerns or for basic science, demands the development of alternative methods in accordance with 3R to help reduce experiments in mammals. This demand has resulted in investigation of additional vertebrate species displaying favourable biological properties. One prominent species among these is the zebrafish (Danio rerio), as these small laboratory ray-finned fish are well established in science today and feature outstanding biological characteristics. In this review, we highlight the advantages and general prerequisites of zebrafish embryos and larvae before free-feeding stages for toxicological testing, with a particular focus on cardio-, neuro, hepato- and nephrotoxicity. Furthermore, we discuss toxicokinetics, current advances in utilizing zebrafish for organ toxicity testing and highlight how advanced laboratory methods (such as automation, advanced imaging and genetic techniques) can refine future toxicological studies in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Bauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97078 Würzburg, Germany; (B.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Angela Mally
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97078 Würzburg, Germany; (B.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Daniel Liedtke
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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12
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Rethinking agrochemical safety assessment: A perspective. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2021; 127:105068. [PMID: 34678328 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2021.105068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Agrochemical safety assessment has traditionally relied on the use of animals for toxicity testing, based on scientific understanding and test guidelines developed in the 1980s. However, since then, there have been significant advances in the toxicological sciences that have improved our understanding of mechanisms underpinning adverse human health effects. The time is ripe to 'rethink' approaches used for human safety assessments of agrochemicals to ensure they reflect current scientific understanding and increasingly embrace new opportunities to improve human relevance and predictivity, and to reduce the reliance on animals. Although the ultimate aim is to enable a paradigm shift and an overhaul of global regulatory data requirements, there is much that can be done now to ensure new opportunities and approaches are adopted and implemented within the current regulatory frameworks. This commentary reviews current initiatives and emerging opportunities to embrace new approaches to improve agrochemical safety assessment for humans, and considers various endpoints and initiatives (including acute toxicity, repeat dose toxicity studies, carcinogenicity, developmental and reproductive toxicity, exposure-driven approaches, inhalation toxicity, and data modelling). Realistic aspirations to improve safety assessment, incorporate new technologies and reduce reliance on animal testing without compromising protection goals are discussed.
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Di Paolo C, Hoffmann S, Witters H, Carrillo JC. Minimum reporting standards based on a comprehensive review of the zebrafish embryo teratogenicity assay. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2021; 127:105054. [PMID: 34653553 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2021.105054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive toxicity chemical safety assessment involves extensive use of vertebrate animals for regulatory testing purposes. Although alternative methods such as the zebrafish embryo teratogenicity assay (identified in the present manuscript by the acronym ZETA) are promising for replacing tests with mammals, challenges to regulatory application involve lack of standardization and incomplete validation. To identify key protocol aspects and ultimately support improving this situation, a comprehensive review of the literature on the level of harmonization/standardization and validation status of the ZETA has been conducted. The gaps and needed advances of the available ZETA protocols were evaluated and discussed with respect to its applicability as an alternative approach for teratogenicity assessment. Based on the review outcomes, a set of minimum reporting standards for the experimental protocol is proposed. Together with other initiatives towards implementation of alternative approaches at the screening and regulatory levels, the application of minimum reporting requirements is anticipated to support future method standardization and validation, as well as identifying potential improvement aspects. Present findings are expected to ultimately support advancing the ongoing validation initiatives towards the regulatory acceptance of the ZETA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Di Paolo
- Shell Health, Shell International, B.V. Carel van Bylandtlaan 16, 2596, HR, The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Hilda Witters
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Unit Health, Boeretang 200, B-2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Juan-Carlos Carrillo
- Shell Health, Shell International, B.V. Carel van Bylandtlaan 16, 2596, HR, The Hague, the Netherlands
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14
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Hoffmann S, Marigliani B, Akgün-Ölmez SG, Ireland D, Cruz R, Busquet F, Flick B, Lalu M, Ghandakly EC, de Vries RBM, Witters H, Wright RA, Ölmez M, Willett C, Hartung T, Stephens ML, Tsaioun K. A Systematic Review to Compare Chemical Hazard Predictions of the Zebrafish Embryotoxicity Test With Mammalian Prenatal Developmental Toxicity. Toxicol Sci 2021; 183:14-35. [PMID: 34109416 PMCID: PMC8404989 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Originally developed to inform the acute toxicity of chemicals on fish, the zebrafish embryotoxicity test (ZET) has also been proposed for assessing the prenatal developmental toxicity of chemicals, potentially replacing mammalian studies. Although extensively evaluated in primary studies, a comprehensive review summarizing the available evidence for the ZET's capacity is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of how well the presence or absence of exposure-related findings in the ZET predicts prenatal development toxicity in studies with rats and rabbits. A two-tiered systematic review of the developmental toxicity literature was performed, a review of the ZET literature was followed by one of the mammalian literature. Data were extracted using DistillerSR, and study validity was assessed with an amended SYRCLE's risk-of-bias tool. Extracted data were analyzed for each species and substance, which provided the basis for comparing the 2 test methods. Although limited by the number of 24 included chemicals, our results suggest that the ZET has potential to identify chemicals that are mammalian prenatal developmental toxicants, with a tendency for overprediction. Furthermore, our analysis confirmed the need for further standardization of the ZET. In addition, we identified contextual and methodological challenges in the application of systematic review approaches to toxicological questions. One key to overcoming these challenges is a transition to more comprehensive and transparent planning, conduct and reporting of toxicological studies. The first step toward bringing about this change is to create broad awareness in the toxicological community of the need for and benefits of more evidence-based approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Hoffmann
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration (EBTC), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
- seh consulting + services, 33106 Paderborn, Germany
| | - Bianca Marigliani
- Department of Science and Technology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São José dos Campos, 12231-280 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sevcan Gül Akgün-Ölmez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Istanbul, 34722, Turkey
| | - Danielle Ireland
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081, USA
| | - Rebecca Cruz
- Laboratory of Dental Clinical Research, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, 20520-040 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Burkhard Flick
- Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, 67063 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Manoj Lalu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, K1H 8L6 Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth C Ghandakly
- Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Rob B M de Vries
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration (EBTC), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
- Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Experimentation (SYRCLE), Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboudumc, 6500HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert A Wright
- William H. Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Metin Ölmez
- Umraniye Family Health Center (No. 44), Turkish Ministry of Health, 34760 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Catherine Willett
- Humane Society International, Washington, 20037 District of Columbia, USA
| | - Thomas Hartung
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Martin L Stephens
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration (EBTC), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Katya Tsaioun
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration (EBTC), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
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15
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Baines RP, Wolton K, Thompson CRL. Dictyostelium discoideum: an alternative non-animal model for developmental toxicity testing. Toxicol Sci 2021; 183:302-318. [PMID: 34387693 PMCID: PMC8538044 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A critical aspect of toxicity evaluation is developmental and reproductive toxicity (DART) testing. Traditionally, DART testing has been conducted in vivo in mammalian model systems. New legislation aimed at reducing animal use and the prohibitive costs associated with DART testing, together with a need to understand the genetic pathways underlying developmental toxicity means there is a growing demand for alternative model systems for toxicity evaluation. Here we explore the potential of the eukaryotic social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, which is already widely used as a simple model system for cell and developmental biology, as a potential nonanimal model for DART testing. We developed assays for high-throughput screening of toxicity during D. discoideum growth and development. This allowed the toxicity of a broad range of test compounds to be characterized, which revealed that D. discoideum can broadly predict mammalian toxicity. In addition, we show that this system can be used to perform functional genomic screens to compare the molecular modes of action of different compounds. For example, genome-wide screens for mutations that affect lithium and valproic acid toxicity allowed common and unique biological targets and molecular processes mediating their toxicity to be identified. These studies illustrate that D. discoideum could represent a predictive nonanimal model for DART testing due to its amenability to high-throughput approaches and molecular genetic tractability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert P Baines
- Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Kathryn Wolton
- Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, RG42 6EY Bracknell, Berkshire
| | - Christopher R L Thompson
- Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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16
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Zurlinden TJ, Saili KS, Rush N, Kothiya P, Judson RS, Houck KA, Hunter ES, Baker NC, Palmer JA, Thomas RS, Knudsen TB. Profiling the ToxCast Library With a Pluripotent Human (H9) Stem Cell Line-Based Biomarker Assay for Developmental Toxicity. Toxicol Sci 2021; 174:189-209. [PMID: 32073639 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Stemina devTOX quickPredict platform is a human pluripotent stem cell-based assay that predicts the developmental toxicity potential based on changes in cellular metabolism following chemical exposure [Palmer, J. A., Smith, A. M., Egnash, L. A., Conard, K. R., West, P. R., Burrier, R. E., Donley, E. L. R., and Kirchner, F. R. (2013). Establishment and assessment of a new human embryonic stem cell-based biomarker assay for developmental toxicity screening. Birth Defects Res. B Dev. Reprod. Toxicol. 98, 343-363]. Using this assay, we screened 1065 ToxCast phase I and II chemicals in single-concentration or concentration-response for the targeted biomarker (ratio of ornithine to cystine secreted or consumed from the media). The dataset from the Stemina (STM) assay is annotated in the ToxCast portfolio as STM. Major findings from the analysis of ToxCast_STM dataset include (1) 19% of 1065 chemicals yielded a prediction of developmental toxicity, (2) assay performance reached 79%-82% accuracy with high specificity (> 84%) but modest sensitivity (< 67%) when compared with in vivo animal models of human prenatal developmental toxicity, (3) sensitivity improved as more stringent weights of evidence requirements were applied to the animal studies, and (4) statistical analysis of the most potent chemical hits on specific biochemical targets in ToxCast revealed positive and negative associations with the STM response, providing insights into the mechanistic underpinnings of the targeted endpoint and its biological domain. The results of this study will be useful to improving our ability to predict in vivo developmental toxicants based on in vitro data and in silico models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - E Sidney Hunter
- National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL), Office of Research and Development (ORD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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17
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Teratogenic Effect of High Dose of Syzygium guineense (Myrtaceae) Leaves on Wistar Albino Rat Embryos and Fetuses. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:6677395. [PMID: 33833820 PMCID: PMC8012146 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6677395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Syzygium guineense is an important medicinal plant effective against hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cancer but with no evidence of its teratogenicity. This study was planned to investigate the teratogenic potential of S. guineense leaves on rat embryos and fetuses. Five groups of Wistar albino rats, each consisting of ten pregnant rats, were used as experimental animals. Groups I-III rats were treated with 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg of hydroethanolic extract of S. guineense leaves, and groups IV and V were control and ad libitum control, respectively. Rats were treated during day 6–12 of gestation. Embryos and fetuses were retrieved at day 12 and day 20 of gestation, respectively. The embryos were assessed for developmental delays and growth retardation. The fetuses were examined for gross external, skeletal, and visceral anomalies. In 12-day old rat embryos, crown-rump length, number of somites, and morphological scores were significantly reduced by the treatment of 1000 mg/kg of the extract. The external morphological and visceral examinations of rat fetuses did not reveal any detectable structural malformations in the cranial, nasal, oral cavities, and visceral organs. The ossification centers of fetal skull, vertebrae, hyoid, forelimb, and hindlimb bones were not significantly varied across all groups. However, even if not statistically significant, high-dose treated rat fetuses had a reduced number of ossification centers in the sternum, caudal vertebrae, metatarsal, metacarpal, and phalanges. Treatment with the hydroethanolic extract of S. guineense leaves produced no significant skeletal and soft tissue malformations. The plant extract did not produce significant teratogenic effects on rat embryos/fetuses up to 500 mg/kg doses but retarded the growth of embryos at high dose (1000 mg/kg) as evidenced by decreased crown-rump length, number of somites, and morphological scores. Therefore, it is not advisable to take large doses of the plant during pregnancy.
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18
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Chai T, Cui F, Di S, Wu S, Zhang Y, Wang X. New insights into cardiotoxicity induced by chiral fluoxetine at environmental-level: Enantioselective arrhythmia in developmental zebrafish (Danio rerio). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 270:116182. [PMID: 33352483 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Fluoxetine is frequently detected in aquatic environment, and chronic FLX exposure exhibits adverse effects on aquatic communities. Its chirality makes the adverse effects more complicated. This study aimed at the enantioselective cardiotoxicity in developmental zebrafish induced by racemic (rac-)/S-/R-fluoxetine. The accumulation profiles demonstrated that biotransformation of fluoxetine to norfluoxetine occurred during rac-fluoxetine exposure, with a higher enrichment of S-norfluoxetine than R-norfluoxetine. Heart malformations including pericardial edema, circulation abnormalities, and thrombosis were observed, and enantioselective changes also occurred. According to H&E staining and Masson's trichrome staining, the loose severity of cardiac structure and cardiac fibrosis in rac-norfluoxetine treated group was worse than that in fluoxetine treated groups. Results of toxicity-associated parameters in our homochiral enantiomers' exposure also indicated that the toxicity induced by S-fluoxetine was more severe than R-fluoxetine. Enantioselective arrhythmia in developmental zebrafish after chiral fluoxetine exposure could be caused by myocardial fibrosis, abnormal developmental processes, and the biotransformation of fluoxetine to norfluoxetine could make that worse. Our findings can be used to assess the environmental risk of the two enantiomers of fluoxetine that induce cardiotoxicity in aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Chai
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard of Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China; Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, Zhejiang, 311300, PR China
| | - Feng Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard of Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Green Pesticide, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, 311300, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Shanshan Di
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard of Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Shenggan Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard of Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Yiming Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Quality Improvement of Agricultural Products of Zhejiang Province, College of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, Zhejiang, 311300, PR China
| | - Xinquan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products / Key Laboratory of Detection for Pesticide Residues and Control of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Quality and Standard of Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China.
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Batista-Filho J, Falcão MAP, Maleski ALA, Soares ABS, Balan-Lima L, Disner GR, Lima C, Lopes-Ferreira M. Early preclinical screening using zebrafish ( Danio rerio) reveals the safety of the candidate anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent TnP. Toxicol Rep 2020; 8:13-22. [PMID: 33364179 PMCID: PMC7750688 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
TnP has been indicated for chronic inflammatory diseases, multiple sclerosis. Zebrafish is an alternative animal model for preclinical drug development. Preclinical toxicology studies have shown that TnP has a wide therapeutic index range from 1 nM to 10 μM. TnP did not induce cardiotoxic effect or cardiac dysfunction. TnP crossed the blood-brain barrier without causing neurotoxicity.
The patented anti-inflammatory peptide TnP had its effectiveness recently confirmed in vivo in a murine model of multiple sclerosis and asthma. In this work, the safety of the TnP was evaluated in investigative toxicology tests using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model. We conducted the OECD #236 test to investigate effects of the TnP on the survival, hatching performance, and morphological formation of zebrafish embryos. After determining these endpoints, morphometric analysis termination of locomotion eartbeat rate in zebrafish larvae were evaluated to identify adverse effects such as neurotoxicity and cardiotoxicity. The results highlight a wide therapeutic index for TnP with non-lethal and safe doses rom 1 nM to 10 μM, without causing neurotoxicity or cardiotoxic effect. The low frequencyf abnormalities by TnP was associated with high safety of the molecule and the developing embryo's ability to process and eliminate it. TnP crossed the blood-brain barrier without disturbing the normal architecture of forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain. Our data reinforce the importance of zebrafish as an accurate investigative toxicology model to assess acute toxicity as well as cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity of molecules in the preclinical phase of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Batista-Filho
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program of Toxinology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Alice Pimentel Falcão
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adolfo Luis Almeida Maleski
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program of Toxinology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Amanda Beatriz Silva Soares
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leticia Balan-Lima
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Geonildo Rodrigo Disner
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carla Lima
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Monica Lopes-Ferreira
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, 05503-009, São Paulo, Brazil
- Corresponding author at: Immunoregulation Unit, Laboratory of Applied Toxinology, Butantan Institute, Brazil.
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Exposure-based assessment of chemical teratogenicity using morphogenetic aggregates of human embryonic stem cells. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 91:74-91. [PMID: 31711903 PMCID: PMC6980740 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells recapitulate many aspects of embryogenesis in vitro. Here, we established a novel culture system to differentiate human embryonic stem cell aggregates (HESCA), and evaluated its utility for teratogenicity assessment. Culture of HESCA with modulators of developmental signals induced morphogenetic and molecular changes associated with differentiation of the paraxial mesoderm and neuroectoderm. To examine impact of teratogenic exposures on HESCA differentiation, 18 compounds were tested, for which adequate information on in vivo plasma concentrations is available. HESCA treated with each compound were examined for gross morphology and transcript levels of 15 embryogenesis regulator genes. Significant alterations in the transcript levels were observed for 94% (15/16) of the teratogenic exposures within 5-fold margin, whereas no alteration was observed for 92% (11/12) of the non-teratogenic exposures. Our study demonstrates that transcriptional changes in HESCA serve as predictive indicator of teratogenicity in a manner comparable to in vivo exposure levels.
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21
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Using Zebrafish for Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms of Drug-Induced Cardiotoxicity. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:1642684. [PMID: 30363733 PMCID: PMC6180974 DOI: 10.1155/2018/1642684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a model organism for cardiovascular research. Zebrafish have several advantages over mammalian models. For instance, the experimental cost of using zebrafish is comparatively low; the embryos are transparent, develop externally, and have high fecundity making them suitable for large-scale genetic screening. More recently, zebrafish embryos have been used for the screening of a variety of toxic agents, particularly for cardiotoxicity testing. Zebrafish has been shown to exhibit physiological responses that are similar to mammals after exposure to medicinal drugs including xenobiotics, hormones, cancer drugs, and also environmental pollutants, including pesticides and heavy metals. In this review, we provided a summary for recent studies that have used zebrafish to investigate the molecular mechanisms of drug-induced cardiotoxicity. More specifically, we focused on the techniques that were exploited by us and others for cardiovascular toxicity assessment and described several microscopic imaging and analysis protocols that are being used for the estimation of a variety of cardiac hemodynamic parameters.
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Luz AL, Tokar EJ. Pluripotent Stem Cells in Developmental Toxicity Testing: A Review of Methodological Advances. Toxicol Sci 2018; 165:31-39. [PMID: 30169765 PMCID: PMC6111785 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Millions of children are born each year with a birth defect. Many of these defects are caused by environmental factors, although the underlying etiology is often unknown. In vivo mammalian models are frequently used to determine if a chemical poses a risk to the developing fetus. However, there are over 80 000 chemicals registered for use in the United States, many of which have undergone little safety testing, necessitating the need for higher-throughput methods to assess developmental toxicity. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are an ideal in vitro model to investigate developmental toxicity as they possess the capacity to differentiate into nearly any cell type in the human body. Indeed, a burst of research has occurred in the field of stem cell toxicology over the past decade, which has resulted in numerous methodological advances that utilize both mouse and human PSCs, as well as cutting-edge technology in the fields of metabolomics, transcriptomics, transgenics, and high-throughput imaging. Here, we review the wide array of approaches used to detect developmental toxicants, suggest areas for further research, and highlight critical aspects of stem cell biology that should be considered when utilizing PSCs in developmental toxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L Luz
- Stem Cell Toxicology Group, National Toxicology Program Laboratory, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Erik J Tokar
- Stem Cell Toxicology Group, National Toxicology Program Laboratory, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
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Combining mouse embryonic stem cells and zebrafish embryos to evaluate developmental toxicity of chemical exposure. Reprod Toxicol 2018; 81:220-228. [PMID: 30103011 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2018.07.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The assays in this study utilize mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and zebrafish embryos to evaluate the potential developmental toxicity of industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals. A set of eleven chemicals of known mammalian in vivo teratogenicity were tested in the assays and correlations to mammalian data. Using mESCs, proliferation, differentiation, and cytotoxicity of the chemicals were measured. In zebrafish embryos, lethality and the lowest effect level concentrations for morphological malformations were determined. Clustering of the assays based on frequency of affected assays resulted in a ranking of the test compounds that correlated to in vivo rodent data (R = 0.88, P < 0.001). We conclude that the combination of ESC- and zebrafish-based assays provides a valuable platform for the prioritization of pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals for further testing of developmental toxicity in rodents.
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24
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Otte JC, Schultz B, Fruth D, Fabian E, van Ravenzwaay B, Hidding B, Salinas ER. Intrinsic Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzyme Activities in Early Life Stages of Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Toxicol Sci 2018; 159:86-93. [PMID: 28903500 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio, zf) are gaining attention as an alternative invivo test system for drug discovery, early developmental toxicity screenings and chemical testing in ecotoxicological and toxicological testing strategies. Previous studies have demonstrated transcriptional evidence for xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (XME) during early zf development. However, elaborate experiments on XME activities during development are incomplete. In this work, the intrinsic activities of representative phase I and II XME were monitored by transformation of putative zf model substrates analyzed using photometry and high pressure liquid chromatography techniques. Six different defined stages of zf development (between 2.5 h postfertilization (hpf) to 120 hpf) were investigated by preparing a subcellular fraction from whole organism homogenates. We demonstrated that zf embryos as early as 2.5 hpf possess intrinsic metabolic activities for esterase, Aldh, Gst, and Cyp1a above the methodological detection limit. The activities of the enzymes Cyp3a and Nat were measurable during later stages in development. Activities represent dynamic patterns during development. The role of XME activities revealed in this work is relevant for the assessing toxicity in this test system and therefore contributes to a valuable characterization of zf embryos as an alternative testing organism in toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bernadette Schultz
- Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Daniela Fruth
- Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Eric Fabian
- Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | | | - Björn Hidding
- Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Edward R Salinas
- Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, BASF SE, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany
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25
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Stephens ML, Akgün-Ölmez SG, Hoffmann S, de Vries R, Flick B, Hartung T, Lalu M, Maertens A, Witters H, Wright R, Tsaioun K. Adaptation of the Systematic Review Framework to the Assessment of Toxicological Test Methods: Challenges and Lessons Learned with the Zebrafish Embryotoxicity Test. Toxicol Sci 2018; 171:56-68. [PMID: 31192353 PMCID: PMC6736188 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfz128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Systematic review methodology is a means of addressing specific questions through structured, consistent, and transparent examinations of the relevant scientific evidence. This methodology has been used to advantage in clinical medicine, and is being adapted for use in other disciplines. Although some applications to toxicology have been explored, especially for hazard identification, the present preparatory study is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to adapt it to the assessment of toxicological test methods. As our test case, we chose the zebrafish embryotoxicity test (ZET) for developmental toxicity and its mammalian counterpart, the standard mammalian prenatal development toxicity study, focusing the review on how well the ZET predicts the presence or absence of chemical-induced prenatal developmental toxicity observed in mammalian studies. An interdisciplinary team prepared a systematic review protocol and adjusted it throughout this piloting phase, where needed. The final protocol was registered and will guide the main study (systematic review), which will execute the protocol to comprehensively answer the review question. The goal of this preparatory study was to translate systematic review methodology to the assessment of toxicological test method performance. Consequently, it focused on the methodological issues encountered, whereas the main study will report substantive findings. These relate to numerous systematic review steps, but primarily to searching and selecting the evidence. Applying the lessons learned to these challenges can improve not only our main study, but may also be helpful to others seeking to use systematic review methodology to compare toxicological test methods. We conclude with a series of recommendations that, if adopted, would help improve the quality of the published literature, and make conducting systematic reviews of toxicological studies faster and easier over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin L Stephens
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (EBTC), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sevcan Gül Akgün-Ölmez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Turkey
| | - Sebastian Hoffmann
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (EBTC), Baltimore, MD, USA.,seh consulting+services, Paderborn, Germany
| | - Rob de Vries
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (EBTC), Baltimore, MD, USA.,SYRCLE (SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation), Department for Health Evidence (section HTA), Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Thomas Hartung
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) at, Baltimore, MD, USA.,University of Konstanz, CAAT-Europe, Konstanz 78464, Germany
| | - Manoj Lalu
- Department of Anestheisology and Pain Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa; Clinical Epidemiology and Regeneraive Medicine Programs, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
| | - Alexandra Maertens
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) at, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Robert Wright
- William H. Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Katya Tsaioun
- Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (EBTC), Baltimore, MD, USA
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26
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Green ML, Lebron JA, Tanis KQ, Redfern BG, Zhu L, Yu Y, Wang E, Kaczor AR, Wysoczanski E, Chen F, Raymond CS, Mattson B, Sistare FD, DeGeorge JJ. Use of Alternative Developmental Toxicity Assays to Assess Teratogenicity Potential of Pharmaceuticals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1089/aivt.2017.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maia L. Green
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Jose A. Lebron
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Keith Q. Tanis
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Brian G. Redfern
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Lei Zhu
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Yan Yu
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Erjia Wang
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Allen R. Kaczor
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Elizabeth Wysoczanski
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - FeiFei Chen
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Christopher S. Raymond
- Mouse Transgenic and Gene Targeting Core, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Britta Mattson
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Frank D. Sistare
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
| | - Joseph J. DeGeorge
- Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Research, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, Pennsylvania
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27
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Xing J, Cao Y, Yu Y, Li H, Song Z, Yu H. In Vitro Micropatterned Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Test (µP-hPST) for Morphometric-Based Teratogen Screening. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8491. [PMID: 28819231 PMCID: PMC5561212 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09178-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to teratogenic chemicals during pregnancy may cause severe birth defects. Due to high inter-species variation of drug responses as well as financial and ethical burdens, despite the widely use of in vivo animal tests, it’s crucial to develop highly predictive human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based in vitro assays to identify potential teratogens. Previously we have shown that the morphological disruption of mesoendoderm patterns formed by geometrically-confined cell differentiation and migration using hPSCs could potentially serve as a sensitive morphological marker in teratogen detection. Here, a micropatterned human pluripotent stem cell test (µP-hPST) assay was developed using 30 pharmaceutical compounds. A simplified morphometric readout was developed to quantify the mesoendoderm pattern changes and a two-step classification rule was generated to identify teratogens. The optimized µP-hPST could classify the 30 compounds with 97% accuracy, 100% specificity and 93% sensitivity. Compared with metabolic biomarker-based hPSC assay by Stemina, the µP-hPST could successfully identify misclassified drugs Bosentan, Diphenylhydantoin and Lovastatin, and show a higher accuracy and sensitivity. This scalable µP-hPST may serve as either an independent assay or a complement assay for existing assays to reduce animal use, accelerate early discovery-phase drug screening and help general chemical screening of human teratogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangwa Xing
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore, 138669, Singapore.
| | - Yue Cao
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore, 138669, Singapore.,Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab, #05-01, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore, 117411, Singapore
| | - Yang Yu
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore, 138669, Singapore.,BioSyM, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Enterprise Wing 04-13/14 and B1, 1 Create Way, Singapore, 138602, Singapore.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, MD9-04-11, 2 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Huan Li
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore, 138669, Singapore
| | - Ziwei Song
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore, 138669, Singapore.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, MD9-04-11, 2 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Hanry Yu
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, The Nanos, #04-01, 31 Biopolis Way, Singapore, 138669, Singapore. .,Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab, #05-01, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore, 117411, Singapore. .,BioSyM, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Enterprise Wing 04-13/14 and B1, 1 Create Way, Singapore, 138602, Singapore. .,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, MD9-04-11, 2 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore. .,Gastroenterology Department, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
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28
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Kugler J, Huhse B, Tralau T, Luch A. Embryonic stem cells and the next generation of developmental toxicity testing. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2017; 13:833-841. [PMID: 28675072 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2017.1351548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The advent of stem cell technology has seen the establishment of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) as molecular model systems and screening tools. Although ESCs are nowadays widely used in research, regulatory implementation for developmental toxicity testing is pending. Areas Covered: This review evaluates the performance of current ESC, including human (h)ESC testing systems, trying to elucidate their potential for developmental toxicity testing. It shall discuss defining parameters and mechanisms, their relevance and contemplate what can realistically be expected. Crucially this includes the question of how to ascertain the quality of currently employed cell lines and tests based thereon. Finally, the use of hESCs will raise ethical concerns which should be addressed early on. Expert Opinion: While the suitability of (h)ESCs as tools for research and development goes undisputed, any routine use for developmental toxicity testing currently still seems premature. The reasons for this comprise inherent biological deficiencies as well as cell line quality and system validation. Overcoming these issues will require collaboration of scientists, test developers and regulators. Also, validation needs to be made worthwhile for academia. Finally we have to continuously rethink existing strategies, making room for improved testing and innovative approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Kugler
- a Department of Chemical & Product Safety , German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) , Berlin , Germany
| | - Bettina Huhse
- a Department of Chemical & Product Safety , German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) , Berlin , Germany
| | - Tewes Tralau
- a Department of Chemical & Product Safety , German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) , Berlin , Germany
| | - Andreas Luch
- a Department of Chemical & Product Safety , German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) , Berlin , Germany
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29
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Brannen KC, Chapin RE, Jacobs AC, Green ML. Alternative Models of Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity in Pharmaceutical Risk Assessment and the 3Rs. ILAR J 2017; 57:144-156. [DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilw026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2016] [Revised: 01/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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30
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Bowman CJ, Chapin RE. Goldilocks’ Determination of What New In Vivo Data are “Just Right” for Different Common Drug Development Scenarios, Part 1. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 107:185-194. [DOI: 10.1002/bdrb.21184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert E Chapin
- Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology CoE; Pfizer, Inc; Groton CT USA
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31
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Zhang C, Ball J, Panzica-Kelly J, Augustine-Rauch K. In Vitro Developmental Toxicology Screens: A Report on the Progress of the Methodology and Future Applications. Chem Res Toxicol 2016; 29:534-44. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.5b00458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Zhang
- Discovery
Toxicology, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pennington, New Jersey 08534, United States
| | - Jonathan Ball
- College
of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4PS, United Kingdom
| | - Julie Panzica-Kelly
- Discovery
Toxicology, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pennington, New Jersey 08534, United States
| | - Karen Augustine-Rauch
- Discovery
Toxicology, Bristol Myers Squibb, Pennington, New Jersey 08534, United States
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