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Hayrapetyan R, Lacour T, Luce A, Finot F, Chagnon MC, Séverin I. The cell transformation assay to assess potential carcinogenic properties of nanoparticles. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2023; 791:108455. [PMID: 36933785 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2023.108455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) are present in many daily life products with particular physical-chemical properties (size, density, porosity, geometry …) giving very interesting technological properties. Their use is continuously growing and NPs represent a new challenge in terms of risk assessment, consumers being multi-exposed. Toxic effects have already been identified such as oxidative stress, genotoxicity, inflammatory effects, and immune reactions, some of which are leading to carcinogenesis. Cancer is a complex phenomenon implying multiple modes of action and key events, and prevention strategies in cancer include a proper assessment of the properties of NPs. Therefore, introduction of new agents like NPs into the market creates fresh regulatory challenges for an adequate safety evaluation and requires new tools. The Cell Transformation Assay (CTA) is an in vitro test able of highlighting key events of characteristic phases in the cancer process, initiation and promotion. This review presents the development of this test and its use with NPs. The article underlines also the critical issues to address for assessing NPs carcinogenic properties and approaches for improving its relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruzanna Hayrapetyan
- Nutrition Physiology and Toxicology Laboratory (NUTOX), INSERM U1231, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC) University of Burgundy, L'Institut Agro Dijon, 1 Esplanade Erasme, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Théo Lacour
- GenEvolutioN - SEQENS' Lab Porcheville - Bâtiment 1, 2-8 rue de Rouen-ZI de Limay-Porcheville, F-78440 Porcheville, France
| | - Annette Luce
- Nutrition Physiology and Toxicology Laboratory (NUTOX), INSERM U1231, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC) University of Burgundy, L'Institut Agro Dijon, 1 Esplanade Erasme, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Francis Finot
- GenEvolutioN - SEQENS' Lab Porcheville - Bâtiment 1, 2-8 rue de Rouen-ZI de Limay-Porcheville, F-78440 Porcheville, France
| | - Marie-Christine Chagnon
- Nutrition Physiology and Toxicology Laboratory (NUTOX), INSERM U1231, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC) University of Burgundy, L'Institut Agro Dijon, 1 Esplanade Erasme, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Isabelle Séverin
- Nutrition Physiology and Toxicology Laboratory (NUTOX), INSERM U1231, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC) University of Burgundy, L'Institut Agro Dijon, 1 Esplanade Erasme, F-21000 Dijon, France.
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Kreutzer FP, Meinecke A, Schmidt K, Fiedler J, Thum T. Alternative strategies in cardiac preclinical research and new clinical trial formats. Cardiovasc Res 2021; 118:746-762. [PMID: 33693475 PMCID: PMC7989574 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
An efficient and safe drug development process is crucial for the establishment of new drugs on the market aiming to increase quality of life and life-span of our patients. Despite technological advances in the past decade, successful launches of drug candidates per year remain low. We here give an overview about some of these advances and suggest improvements for implementation to boost preclinical and clinical drug development with a focus on the cardiovascular field. We highlight advantages and disadvantages of animal experimentation and thoroughly review alternatives in the field of three-dimensional cell culture as well as preclinical use of spheroids and organoids. Microfluidic devices and their potential as organ-on-a-chip systems, as well as the use of living animal and human cardiac tissues are additionally introduced. In the second part, we examine recent gold standard randomized clinical trials and present possible modifications to increase lead candidate throughput: adaptive designs, master protocols, and drug repurposing. In silico and N-of-1 trials have the potential to redefine clinical drug candidate evaluation. Finally, we briefly discuss clinical trial designs during pandemic times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Philipp Kreutzer
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anna Meinecke
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kevin Schmidt
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan Fiedler
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Thum
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), Hannover, Germany
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Callegaro G, Malkoc K, Corvi R, Urani C, Stefanini FM. A comprehensive statistical classifier of foci in the cell transformation assay for carcinogenicity testing. Toxicol In Vitro 2017; 45:351-358. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2017.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Callegaro G, Corvi R, Salovaara S, Urani C, Stefanini FM. Relationship between increasing concentrations of two carcinogens and statistical image descriptors of foci morphology in the cell transformation assay. J Appl Toxicol 2016; 37:709-720. [PMID: 27917502 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cell Transformation Assays (CTAs) have long been proposed for the identification of chemical carcinogenicity potential. The endpoint of these in vitro assays is represented by the phenotypic alterations in cultured cells, which are characterized by the change from the non-transformed to the transformed phenotype. Despite the wide fields of application and the numerous advantages of CTAs, their use in regulatory toxicology has been limited in part due to concerns about the subjective nature of visual scoring, i.e. the step in which transformed colonies or foci are evaluated through morphological features. An objective evaluation of morphological features has been previously obtained through automated digital processing of foci images to extract the value of three statistical image descriptors. In this study a further potential of the CTA using BALB/c 3T3 cells is addressed by analysing the effect of increasing concentrations of two known carcinogens, benzo[a]pyrene and NiCl2 , with different modes of action on foci morphology. The main result of our quantitative evaluation shows that the concentration of the considered carcinogens has an effect on foci morphology that is statistically significant for the mean of two among the three selected descriptors. Statistical significance also corresponds to visual relevance. The statistical analysis of variations in foci morphology due to concentration allowed to quantify morphological changes that can be visually appreciated but not precisely determined. Therefore, it has the potential of providing new quantitative parameters in CTAs, and of exploiting all the information encoded in foci. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Callegaro
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Corvi
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM), Chemical Safety and Alternative Methods Unit; Directorate F, European Commission Joint Research Centre, TP 126, Via E. Fermi, 2749, I-21027, Ispra, (VA), Italy
| | - Susan Salovaara
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM), Chemical Safety and Alternative Methods Unit; Directorate F, European Commission Joint Research Centre, TP 126, Via E. Fermi, 2749, I-21027, Ispra, (VA), Italy
| | - Chiara Urani
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico M Stefanini
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 59, I-50100, Florence, Italy
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Forcella M, Callegaro G, Melchioretto P, Gribaldo L, Frattini M, Stefanini FM, Fusi P, Urani C. Cadmium-transformed cells in the in vitro cell transformation assay reveal different proliferative behaviours and activated pathways. Toxicol In Vitro 2016; 36:71-80. [PMID: 27432484 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The in vitro Cell Transformation Assay (CTA) is a powerful tool for mechanistic studies of carcinogenesis. The endpoint is the classification of transformed colonies (foci) by means of standard morphological features. To increase throughput and reliability of CTAs, one of the suggested follow-up activities is to exploit the comprehension of the mechanisms underlying cell transformation. To this end, we have performed CTAs testing CdCl2, a widespread environmental contaminant classified as a human carcinogen with the underlying mechanisms of action not completely understood. We have isolated and re-seeded the cells at the end (6weeks) of in vitro CTAs to further identify the biochemical pathways underlying the transformed phenotype of foci. Morphological evaluations and proliferative assays confirmed the loss of contact-inhibition and the higher proliferative rate of transformed clones. The biochemical analysis of EGFR pathway revealed that, despite the same initial carcinogenic stimulus (1μM CdCl2 for 24h), transformed clones are characterized by the activation of two different molecular pathways: proliferation (Erk activation) or survival (Akt activation). Our preliminary results on molecular characterization of cell clones from different foci could be exploited for CTAs improvement, supporting the comprehension of the in vivo process and complementing the morphological evaluation of foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Forcella
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - G Callegaro
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - P Melchioretto
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - L Gribaldo
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, DG JRC, European Commission, Via Enrico Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Varese, Italy
| | - M Frattini
- Istituto Cantonale di Patologia, Via in Selva 24, 6601 Locarno, Switzerland
| | - F M Stefanini
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 59, 50100 Florence, Italy
| | - P Fusi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milan, Italy.
| | - C Urani
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
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Callegaro G, Stefanini FM, Colacci A, Vaccari M, Urani C. An improved classification of foci for carcinogenicity testing by statistical descriptors. Toxicol In Vitro 2015; 29:1839-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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De La Fuente R, Baumann C, Viveiros MM. ATRX contributes to epigenetic asymmetry and silencing of major satellite transcripts in the maternal genome of the mouse embryo. Development 2015; 142:1806-17. [PMID: 25926359 DOI: 10.1242/dev.118927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
A striking proportion of human cleavage-stage embryos exhibit chromosome instability (CIN). Notably, until now, no experimental model has been described to determine the origin and mechanisms of complex chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we examined mouse embryos deficient for the chromatin remodeling protein ATRX to determine the cellular mechanisms activated in response to CIN. We demonstrate that ATRX is required for silencing of major satellite transcripts in the maternal genome, where it confers epigenetic asymmetry to pericentric heterochromatin during the transition to the first mitosis. This stage is also characterized by a striking kinetochore size asymmetry established by differences in CENP-C protein between the parental genomes. Loss of ATRX results in increased centromeric mitotic recombination, a high frequency of sister chromatid exchanges and double strand DNA breaks, indicating the formation of mitotic recombination break points. ATRX-deficient embryos exhibit a twofold increase in transcripts for aurora kinase B, the centromeric cohesin ESCO2, DNMT1, the ubiquitin-ligase (DZIP3) and the histone methyl transferase (EHMT1). Thus, loss of ATRX activates a pathway that integrates epigenetic modifications and DNA repair in response to chromosome breaks. These results reveal the cellular response of the cleavage-stage embryo to CIN and uncover a mechanism by which centromeric fission induces the formation of large-scale chromosomal rearrangements. Our results have important implications to determine the epigenetic origins of CIN that lead to congenital birth defects and early pregnancy loss, as well as the mechanisms involved in the oocyte to embryo transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabindranath De La Fuente
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Claudia Baumann
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Maria M Viveiros
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Advancing the 3Rs in regulatory toxicology – Carcinogenicity testing: Scope for harmonisation and advancing the 3Rs in regulated sectors of the European Union. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2014; 69:234-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2014.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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