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Meinhardt MW, Gerlach B, Spanagel R. Good Practice Guideline for Preclinical Alcohol Research: The STRINGENCY Framework. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39117860 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2024_484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Research in the field of preclinical alcohol research, but also science in general, has a problem: Many published scientific results cannot be repeated. As a result, findings from preclinical research often do not translate well to humans, causing increasing disappointment and calls for restructuring of preclinical research, that is, better reproducibility of preclinical research. However, the replication crisis is an inherent problem in biomedical research. Replication failures are not only due to small experimental variations but are often the result of poor methodology. In response to the replication crisis, numerous guidelines and recommendations have been proposed to promote transparency, rigor, and reproducibility in scientific research. What is missing today is a framework that integrates all the confusing information that results from all these guidelines and recommendations. Here we present STRINGENCY, an integrative approach to good practice guidelines for preclinical alcohol research, which can also apply to behavioral research in general and which aims to improve preclinical research to better prepare it for translation and minimize the "valley of death" in translational research. STRINGENCY includes systematic review and, when possible, meta-analysis prior to study design, sample size calculation, preregistration, multisite experiments, scientific data management (FAIR), reporting of data using ARRIVE, generalization of research data, and transparent publications that allow reporting of null results. We invite the scientific community to adopt STRINGENCY to improve the reliability and impact of preclinical alcohol research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus W Meinhardt
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Björn Gerlach
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Guarantors of EQIPD e.V., Heidelberg, Germany
- PAASP GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Mannheim, Heidelberg, Ulm, Germany.
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2
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Smith A. Letter to the Editor: Editorial: In Musculoskeletal Research, Too Many Animals are Being Harmed for Too Small a Return. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2024; 482:896-898. [PMID: 38363557 PMCID: PMC11008642 DOI: 10.1097/corr.0000000000003013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Smith
- Norecopa, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ås, Norway
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3
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Louis-Maerten E, Milford A, Shaw DM, Geneviève LD, Elger BS. Perceptions of 3R implementation in European animal research: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-synthesis of barriers and facilitators. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300031. [PMID: 38547185 PMCID: PMC10977722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this systematic review was to examine how the scientific community in Europe that is involved with research with animals perceives and experiences the implementation of 3R (Replace, Reduce, Refine). METHODS A systematic search of the literature published in the past ten years was performed in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. Publications were screened for eligibility using a priori inclusion criteria, and only empirical evidence (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methodologies) was retained. Quantitative survey items were investigated by conducting a meta-analysis, and the qualitative data was summarized using an inductive meta-synthetic approach. Included publications were assessed using the Quality Assessment for Diverse Studies tool. RESULTS 17 publications were included (eight quantitative, seven qualitative, two mixed-methods). The meta-analysis revealed that scientists are skeptical about achieving replacement, even if they believe that 3R improve the quality of experimental results. They are optimistic concerning the impact of 3R on research costs and innovation, and see education as highly valuable for the implementation of 3R. The meta-synthesis revealed four barriers (systemic dynamics, reification process, practical issues, insufficient knowledge) and four facilitators (efficient use of animals, caring for animals, regulatory uptake, supportive workplace environment). CONCLUSION These findings show actionable levers at the local and systemic levels, and may inform regulators and institutions in their 3R policies. TRIAL REGISTRATION The protocol was registered into the PROSPERO database under the number CRD42023395769.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aoife Milford
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David M. Shaw
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Bernice S. Elger
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Center of Legal Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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4
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Moresis A, Restivo L, Bromilow S, Flik G, Rosati G, Scorrano F, Tsoory M, O'Connor EC, Gaburro S, Bannach-Brown A. A minimal metadata set (MNMS) to repurpose nonclinical in vivo data for biomedical research. Lab Anim (NY) 2024; 53:67-79. [PMID: 38438748 PMCID: PMC10912024 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01335-0] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Although biomedical research is experiencing a data explosion, the accumulation of vast quantities of data alone does not guarantee a primary objective for science: building upon existing knowledge. Data collected that lack appropriate metadata cannot be fully interrogated or integrated into new research projects, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities for data repurposing. This issue is particularly acute for research using animals, where concerns regarding data reproducibility and ensuring animal welfare are paramount. Here, to address this problem, we propose a minimal metadata set (MNMS) designed to enable the repurposing of in vivo data. MNMS aligns with an existing validated guideline for reporting in vivo data (ARRIVE 2.0) and contributes to making in vivo data FAIR-compliant. Scenarios where MNMS should be implemented in diverse research environments are presented, highlighting opportunities and challenges for data repurposing at different scales. We conclude with a 'call for action' to key stakeholders in biomedical research to adopt and apply MNMS to accelerate both the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasios Moresis
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Data & Analytics, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Restivo
- Neuro-Behavioral Analysis Unit, Faculty of Biology & Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Bromilow
- Group Legal Department, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gunnar Flik
- Discovery, Charles River Laboratories, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Fabrizio Scorrano
- Emerging Technologies, Comparative Medicine, Novartis International AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Tsoory
- Behavioral and Physiological Phenotyping Unit, Department of Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eoin C O'Connor
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience & Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
| | | | - Alexandra Bannach-Brown
- QUEST Center for Responsible Research, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Paping A, Ehrlich L, Melchior K, Ziska T, Wippermann W, Starke A, Heinichen K, Henrich W, Braun T. A Sustainable Translational Sheep Model for Planned Cesarean Delivery of Contraction-Free Ewes. Reprod Sci 2024; 31:791-802. [PMID: 37848643 PMCID: PMC10912125 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01365-y] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated whether the sheep constitutes a useful translational model to evaluate anatomical and surgical aspects of cesarean delivery (CD) from a human medical perspective with the aim of both maternal and neonatal well-being. Our hypothesis was that CD in contraction-free ewes is not associated with major complications. Primary endpoint was the transferability of anatomical conditions and surgical techniques of CD from the ewe to the human. Secondary endpoints were maternal and fetal survival, occurrence of retained fetal membranes, metritis, mastitis, or wound infections. Forty-eight Merino ewes were delivered by CD after 95% gestation (142-144 days). Both ewes and newborn lambs were cared for intensively after the delivery. Ovine uterine anatomy during CD appeared slightly different but comparable to the human uterus. Uterine incisions were mostly performed in the uterine horns, not in the uterine corpus. The ovine uterine wall is thinner than in humans. All ewes survived without any major complications. Seventy-seven (88.5%) out of 87 live-born lambs survived without any complications. The contraction-free ewe constitutes an appropriate and safe model to evaluate anatomical and surgical aspects of CD from a human medical perspective. We present a step-by-step manual for successfully planned cesarean delivery for sheep including the perioperative management illustrated with photographs and a five-minute video. With adequate planning and a reasonable number of staff, it is possible to safeguard both maternal and neonatal survival. This sustainable translational medicine model offers additional potential for the offspring to be used for further research studies (e.g., transgenerational inheritance research).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Paping
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Obstetrics, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Division of 'Experimental Obstetrics', Berlin, Germany.
| | - Loreen Ehrlich
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Division of 'Experimental Obstetrics', Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Melchior
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Division of 'Experimental Obstetrics', Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Ziska
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Division of 'Experimental Obstetrics', Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolf Wippermann
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Starke
- Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Karin Heinichen
- Oberholz Farm for Teaching and Research, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Henrich
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Obstetrics, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thorsten Braun
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Obstetrics, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Division of 'Experimental Obstetrics', Berlin, Germany
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Mason GJ. Animal welfare research is fascinating, ethical, and useful-but how can it be more rigorous? BMC Biol 2023; 21:302. [PMID: 38155349 PMCID: PMC10755948 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01793-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia J Mason
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare/Integrative Biology Department, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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7
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Nawroth C, Wiesmann K, Schlup P, Keil N, Langbein J. Domestication and breeding objective did not shape the interpretation of physical and social cues in goats (Capra hircus). Sci Rep 2023; 13:19098. [PMID: 37925577 PMCID: PMC10625633 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46373-9] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial selection by humans, either through domestication or subsequent selection for specific breeding objectives, drives changes in animal cognition and behaviour. However, most previous cognitive research comparing domestic and wild animals has focused on companion animals such as canids, limiting any general claims about the effects of artificial selection by humans. Using a cognitive test battery, we investigated the ability of wild goats (non-domestic, seven subjects), dwarf goats (domestic, not selected for milk production, 15 subjects) and dairy goats (domestic, selected for high milk yield, 18 subjects) to utilise physical and social cues in an object choice task. To increase the heterogeneity of our test samples, data for domestic goats were collected by two experimenters at two research stations (Agroscope; Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology). We did not find performance differences between the three groups in the cognitive test battery for either physical or social cues. This indicates that for a domestic non-companion animal species, domestication and selection for certain breeding objectives did not measurably shape the physical and cognitive skills of goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Nawroth
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany.
| | - Katrina Wiesmann
- Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Agroscope Tänikon, 8355, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | | | - Nina Keil
- Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Agroscope Tänikon, 8355, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Jan Langbein
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
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8
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Castiglione F, Çakır OÖ, Schifano N, Corona G, Reisman Y, Bettocchi C, Cellek S, Ilg MM. European Society of Sexual Medicine consensus statement on the use of animal models for studying Peyronie's disease. Sex Med 2023; 11:qfad046. [PMID: 37547872 PMCID: PMC10397421 DOI: 10.1093/sexmed/qfad046] [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: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Animal models are frequently used for translational research in Peyronie's disease (PD). However, due to lack of availability of guidelines, there is some heterogeneity in study design, data reporting, and outcome measures. Aim This European Society for Sexual Medicine consensus statement aims to provide guidance in utilization of animal models in PD research in a standardized and uniform fashion. Methods PubMed was searched for studies using animal models for PD. The following search terms were used: ("Peyronie's disease" OR "penile fibrosis" OR "penile curvature" OR "induration penis plastica" OR "erectile dysfunction") AND ("rodent" OR "mouse" OR "mice" OR "rat" OR "rabbit"). Outcomes This European Society for Sexual Medicine statement describes best practice guidelines for utilization of animals in PD research: power calculation, details of available models, surgical procedures, and measurement techniques, while highlighting possible pitfalls and translational limitations of the models. Results In total, 2490 studies were retrieved and 2446 articles were excluded. A total of 44 studies were included, of which 40 studies used rats, 1 study used both rats and mice, 1 study used a genetic mouse model, and 2 studies used rabbits. A significant number of the studies (70.5%) used transforming growth factor β 1 for induction of fibrosis. Oxford 2011 Levels of Evidence criteria could not be applied due to the nature of the studies. Conclusion Despite certain limitations of PD animal models presented, we aimed to provide guidance for their appropriate use in translational research, with the purpose of improving study quality and reproducibility as well as facilitating interpretation of reported results and conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Onur Ö Çakır
- King's College London Hospital, London SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolò Schifano
- King's College London Hospital, London SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni Corona
- Endocrinology Unit, Medical Department, Maggiore-Bellaria Hospital, Azienda USL, Bologna 40139, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Bettocchi
- Department of Urology, University of Bari, Bari 70121, Italy
| | - Selim Cellek
- Fibrosis Research Group, Medical Technology Research Centre, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus M Ilg
- Fibrosis Research Group, Medical Technology Research Centre, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1SQ, United Kingdom
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Grimm H, Biller-Andorno N, Buch T, Dahlhoff M, Davies G, Cederroth CR, Maissen O, Lukas W, Passini E, Törnqvist E, Olsson IAS, Sandström J. Advancing the 3Rs: innovation, implementation, ethics and society. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1185706. [PMID: 37396988 PMCID: PMC10310538 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1185706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The 3Rs principle of replacing, reducing and refining the use of animals in science has been gaining widespread support in the international research community and appears in transnational legislation such as the European Directive 2010/63/EU, a number of national legislative frameworks like in Switzerland and the UK, and other rules and guidance in place in countries around the world. At the same time, progress in technical and biomedical research, along with the changing status of animals in many societies, challenges the view of the 3Rs principle as a sufficient and effective approach to the moral challenges set by animal use in research. Given this growing awareness of our moral responsibilities to animals, the aim of this paper is to address the question: Can the 3Rs, as a policy instrument for science and research, still guide the morally acceptable use of animals for scientific purposes, and if so, how? The fact that the increased availability of alternatives to animal models has not correlated inversely with a decrease in the number of animals used in research has led to public and political calls for more radical action. However, a focus on the simple measure of total animal numbers distracts from the need for a more nuanced understanding of how the 3Rs principle can have a genuine influence as a guiding instrument in research and testing. Hence, we focus on three core dimensions of the 3Rs in contemporary research: (1) What scientific innovations are needed to advance the goals of the 3Rs? (2) What can be done to facilitate the implementation of existing and new 3R methods? (3) Do the 3Rs still offer an adequate ethical framework given the increasing social awareness of animal needs and human moral responsibilities? By answering these questions, we will identify core perspectives in the debate over the advancement of the 3Rs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herwig Grimm
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nikola Biller-Andorno
- Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thorsten Buch
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maik Dahlhoff
- Institute of in vivo and in vitro Models, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gail Davies
- Department of Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | | | - Otto Maissen
- Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Animal Welfare Division, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wilma Lukas
- Innosuisse - Swiss Innovation Agency, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Elisa Passini
- National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), London, United Kingdom
| | - Elin Törnqvist
- Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, Swedish National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - I. Anna S. Olsson
- Laboratory Animal Science, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Discussion: Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Extracellular Vesicles Improve Wound Closure and Angiogenesis in Diabetic Mice. Plast Reconstr Surg 2023; 151:343-344. [PMID: 36696317 DOI: 10.1097/prs.0000000000009841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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11
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Hölter SM, Wells S, Voikar V. Improving biomedical research by automated behaviour monitoring in the animal home cage - action needed for networking. Lab Anim 2023; 57:79-83. [PMID: 36148902 DOI: 10.1177/00236772221117451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The key goal in biomedical research is a better understanding of disease aetiologies, which ideally results in strategies and recommendations for the prevention of diseases before they arise, and in the development of effective therapies. However, many concerns have been expressed about the reproducibility and the translational validity of preclinical research in animal models to inform clinical trials in humans. It has been proposed that improving internal, external and construct validity of animal studies will lead to improved translatability. Automated behaviour monitoring in the animal's home cage, which allows for longitudinal assessment of individual trajectories over sufficiently long intervals for (chronic) drug treatment or phenotype progression, is a promising solution to these problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Wells
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, UK
| | - Vootele Voikar
- Neuroscience Centre, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Finland
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Rosso M, Wirz R, Loretan AV, Sutter NA, Pereira da Cunha CT, Jaric I, Würbel H, Voelkl B. Reliability of common mouse behavioural tests of anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of anxiolytics. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104928. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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13
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McDougald WA, Mannheim JG. Understanding the importance of quality control and quality assurance in preclinical PET/CT imaging. EJNMMI Phys 2022; 9:77. [PMID: 36315337 PMCID: PMC9622967 DOI: 10.1186/s40658-022-00503-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The fundamental principle of experimental design is to ensure efficiency and efficacy of the performed experiments. Therefore, it behoves the researcher to gain knowledge of the technological equipment to be used. This should include an understanding of the instrument quality control and assurance requirements to avoid inadequate or spurious results due to instrumentation bias whilst improving reproducibility. Here, the important role of preclinical positron emission tomography/computed tomography and the scanner's required quality control and assurance is presented along with the suggested guidelines for quality control and assurance. There are a multitude of factors impeding the continuity and reproducibility of preclinical research data within a single laboratory as well as across laboratories. A more robust experimental design incorporating validation or accreditation of the scanner performance can reduce inconsistencies. Moreover, the well-being and welfare of the laboratory animals being imaged is prime justification for refining experimental designs to include verification of instrumentation quality control and assurance. Suboptimal scanner performance is not consistent with the 3R principle (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) and potentially subjects animals to unnecessary harm. Thus, quality assurance and control should be of paramount interest to any scientist conducting animal studies. For this reason, through this work, we intend to raise the awareness of researchers using PET/CT regarding quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) guidelines and instil the importance of confirming that these are routinely followed. We introduce a basic understanding of the PET/CT scanner, present the purpose of QC/QA as well as provide evidence of imaging data biases caused by lack of QC/QA. This is shown through a review of the literature, QC/QA accepted standard protocols and our research. We also want to encourage researchers to have discussions with the PET/CT facilities manager and/or technicians to develop the optimal designed PET/CT experiment for obtaining their scientific objective. Additionally, this work provides an easy gateway to multiple resources not only for PET/CT knowledge but for guidelines and assistance in preclinical experimental design to enhance scientific integrity of the data and ensure animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A. McDougald
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988BHF-Centre for Cardiovascular Science, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK ,grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988Edinburgh Preclinical Imaging (EPI), Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK ,grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ UK
| | - Julia G. Mannheim
- grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ,grid.10392.390000 0001 2190 1447Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies”, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Animal number versus maximum tumour volume: an example of reduction and refinement trade-off in the 3Rs. Lab Anim (NY) 2022; 51:208-209. [DOI: 10.1038/s41684-022-01006-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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15
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Questionable Research Practices, Low Statistical Power, and Other Obstacles to Replicability: Why Preclinical Neuroscience Research Would Benefit from Registered Reports. eNeuro 2022; 9:9/4/ENEURO.0017-22.2022. [PMID: 35922130 PMCID: PMC9351632 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0017-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Replicability, the degree to which a previous scientific finding can be repeated in a distinct set of data, has been considered an integral component of institutionalized scientific practice since its inception several hundred years ago. In the past decade, large-scale replication studies have demonstrated that replicability is far from favorable, across multiple scientific fields. Here, I evaluate this literature and describe contributing factors including the prevalence of questionable research practices (QRPs), misunderstanding of p-values, and low statistical power. I subsequently discuss how these issues manifest specifically in preclinical neuroscience research. I conclude that these problems are multifaceted and difficult to solve, relying on the actions of early and late career researchers, funding sources, academic publishers, and others. I assert that any viable solution to the problem of substandard replicability must include changing academic incentives, with adoption of registered reports being the most immediately impactful and pragmatic strategy. For animal research in particular, comprehensive reporting guidelines that document potential sources of sensitivity for experimental outcomes is an essential addition.
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Kern C, Pauli A, Rohnke M. Determination of Sr 2+ mobility in viscous bovine bone marrow by cryo-time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2022; 36:e9300. [PMID: 35312121 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE In osteoporosis research, strontium ions (Sr2+ ) have emerged as promising therapeutic agent in modified bone cements for better fracture healing. Modeling of Sr2+ dispersion in bone could be used as a predictive tool for the evaluation of functionalized biomaterials in future. Therefore, determination of experimental parameters for Sr2+ transport in bone is essential. In this study, we focus on the determination of Sr2+ diffusion in viscous bovine bone marrow by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). METHODS For this comparatively fast diffusion (FD) experiment, a specific experimental protocol of ToF-SIMS depth profiling under cryogenic conditions was developed. The validity of our experimental approach is proven by a time-dependent experimental series. Furthermore, 2D and 3D mass spectrometric imaging analysis was used to study Sr2+ surface and bulk distribution within bovine bone marrow. RESULTS Detailed 2D and 3D mass spectrometric imaging analysis revealed that Sr2+ diffusion is slower in bone marrow areas with high intensity of lipid and fatty acid signals than in areas with less lipid content. The Sr2+ transport within this passive model can be described by Fickian diffusion. Average diffusion coefficients of Sr2+ in bovine bone marrow were obtained from diffusion profiles in FD areas (Dbovine,FD = [2.09 ± 2.39]·10-9 cm2 s-1 ), slow diffusion areas (Dbovine,SD = [1.52 ± 1.80]·10-10 cm2 s-1 ), and total area diffusion (Dbovine,TA = [1.94 ± 2.40]·10-9 cm2 s-1 ). CONCLUSIONS We were able to show that cryo-ToF-SIMS is a useful tool for the characterization of rapid diffusion in water-containing highly viscous media. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported experimental approach for the investigation of the distribution of low concentrated therapeutic agents in bone marrow. Overall, our results provide important insights about Sr2+ diffusion in bovine bone marrow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Kern
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Anna Pauli
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Marcus Rohnke
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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Mallien AS, Pfeiffer N, Brandwein C, Inta D, Sprengel R, Palme R, Talbot SR, Gass P. Comparative Severity Assessment of Genetic, Stress-Based, and Pharmacological Mouse Models of Depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:908366. [PMID: 35783227 PMCID: PMC9245036 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.908366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of animals in neurosciences is pivotal to gaining insights into complex functions and dysfunctions of behavior. For example, various forms of physical and/or psychological stress are inherent to various animal models for psychiatric disorders, e.g., depression. Regarding animal welfare, it would be mandatory to use models that inflict the least amount of stress necessary to address the underlying scientific question. This study compared the severity of different approaches to induce depression in mice: mutagenesis in GluA1 knockout, immobilization stress, and stress-induction via stress hormone treatment. While genetic alterations potentially represent a lifelong burden, the temporary intervention only affects the animals for a limited time. Therefore, we used home cage-based behavioral and physiological parameters, including nest building, burrowing, body weight, and fecal corticosterone metabolites, to determine the well-being of male and female mice. In addition, we performed an evidence-based estimate of severity using a composite score for relative severity assessment (RELSA) with this data. We found that even though restraint stress and supplementation of corticosterone in the diet both aimed at depression-related precipitating stress effects, the latter affected the well-being much stronger, especially in females. Restraint leads to less noticeable well-being impairments but causes depression-associated anhedonic behavior. Mice of both sexes recovered well from the stress treatment. GluA1 KO and their littermates showed diminished well-being, comparable to the immobilization experiments. However, since this is a lifelong condition, this burden is not reversible and potentially accumulative. In line with the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement), the process of choosing the most suitable model should ideally include an evidence-based severity assessment to be able to opt for the least severe alternative, which still induces the desired effect. Promoting refinement, in our study, this would be the restraint stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Stephanie Mallien
- Research Group (RG) Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Anne Stephanie Mallien,
| | - Natascha Pfeiffer
- Research Group (RG) Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christiane Brandwein
- Research Group (RG) Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dragos Inta
- Research Group (RG) Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department for Community Health, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Sprengel
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research (MPIMF), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steven R. Talbot
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Peter Gass
- Research Group (RG) Animal Models in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Leyden C, Brüggemann T, Debinski F, Simacek CA, Dehmelt FA, Arrenberg AB. Efficacy of Tricaine (MS-222) and Hypothermia as Anesthetic Agents for Blocking Sensorimotor Responses in Larval Zebrafish. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:864573. [PMID: 35419446 PMCID: PMC8996001 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.864573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tricaine, or MS-222, is the most commonly used chemical anesthetic in zebrafish research. It is thought to act via blocking voltage-gated sodium channels, though its mechanism of action, particularly at the neuronal level, is not yet fully understood. Here, we first characterized the effects of tricaine on both body balance and touch responses in freely swimming animals, before determining its effect on the neural activity underlying the optokinetic response at the level of motion perception, sensorimotor signaling and the generation of behavior in immobilized animals. We found that the standard dose for larvae (168 mg/L) induced loss of righting reflex within 30 seconds, which then recovered within 3 minutes. Optokinetic behavior recovered within 15 minutes. Calcium imaging showed that tricaine interferes with optokinetic behavior by interruption of the signals between the pretectum and hindbrain. The motion sensitivity indices of identified sensory neurons were unchanged in larvae exposed to tricaine, though fewer such neurons were detected, leaving a small population of active sensory neurons. We then compared tricaine with gradual cooling, a potential non-chemical alternative method of anesthesia. While neuronal tuning appeared to be affected in a similar manner during gradual cooling, gradual cooling induced a surge in calcium levels in both the pretectum and hindbrain. This calcium surge, alongside a drop in heartrate, is potentially associated with harmful changes in physiology and suggests that tricaine is a better anesthetic agent than gradual cooling for zebrafish laboratory research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Leyden
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Timo Brüggemann
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Florentyna Debinski
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Clara A Simacek
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Florian A Dehmelt
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Aristides B Arrenberg
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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19
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Rosenberger K, Simmler M, Langbein J, Nawroth C, Keil N. Responsiveness of domesticated goats towards various stressors following long-term cognitive test exposure. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12893. [PMID: 35368331 PMCID: PMC8973470 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Current evidence suggests that frequent exposure to situations in which captive animals can solve cognitive tasks may have positive effects on stress responsiveness and thus on welfare. However, confounding factors often hamper the interpretation of study results. In this study, we used human-presented object-choice tests (in form of visual discrimination and reversal learning tests and a cognitive test battery), to assess the effect of long-term cognitive stimulation (44 sessions over 4-5 months) on behavioural and cardiac responses of female domestic goats in subsequent stress tests. To disentangle whether cognitive stimulation per se or the reward associated with the human-animal interaction required for testing was affecting the stress responsiveness, we conditioned three treatment groups: goats that were isolated for participation in human-presented cognitive tests and rewarded with food ('Cognitive', COG treatment), goats that were isolated as for the test exposure and rewarded with food by the experimenter without being administered the object-choice tests ('Positive', POS treatment), and goats that were isolated in the same test room but neither received a reward nor were administered the tests ('Isolation', ISO treatment). All treatment groups were subsequently tested in four stress tests: a novel arena test, a novel object test, a novel human test, and a weighing test in which goats had to enter and exit a scale cage. All treatment groups weretested at the same two research sites, each using two selection lines, namely dwarf goats, not selected for production traits, and dairy goats, selected for high productivity. Analysing the data with principal component analysis and linear mixed-effects models, we did not find evidence that cognitive testing per se (COG-POS contrast) reduces stress responsiveness of goats in subsequent stress tests. However, for dwarf goats but not for dairy goats, we found support for an effect of reward-associated human-animal interactions (POS-ISO contrast) at least for some stress test measures. Our results highlight the need to consider ontogenetic and genetic variation when assessing stress responsiveness and when interacting with goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina Rosenberger
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland,Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | | | - Jan Langbein
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Christian Nawroth
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Nina Keil
- Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Yarborough
- Bioethics Program, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
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21
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Kern C, Jamous R, El Khassawna T, Rohnke M. Characterisation of Sr 2+ mobility in osteoporotic rat bone marrow by cryo-ToF-SIMS and cryo-OrbiSIMS. Analyst 2022; 147:4141-4157. [DOI: 10.1039/d2an00913g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Mass spectrometric imaging approach for ex vivo monitoring of drug transport in bone sections. Cryo-ToF-SIMS depth profiling and high-resolution imaging as well as OrbiSIMS analysis revealed inhomogeneous Sr2+ transport in rat bone marrow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Kern
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Reem Jamous
- Experimental Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Thaqif El Khassawna
- Experimental Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Marcus Rohnke
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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22
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Petkov CI, Flecknell P, Murphy K, Basso MA, Mitchell AS, Hartig R, Thompson-Iritani S. Unified ethical principles and an animal research ‘Helsinki’ declaration as foundations for international collaboration. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 3:100060. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2022.100060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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23
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Kinter LB, Johnson DK, Weichbrod RH, Prentice ED, Simmonds RC, Houghton PW, Whitney RA, DeGeorge J, DeHaven WR, Kramer K, DeTolla L. Fit for Purpose Assessment: A New Direction for IACUCs. ILAR J 2021; 62:314-331. [PMID: 35512294 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilac006] [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: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The organization and function of the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) is the key component of government regulation and oversight of necessary scientific research using live animals and of AAALAC - International accreditation of animal care and use programs in the United States. The regulations, roles, and responsibilities of IACUCs have evolved since their inception 35 years ago from a limited focus on animal welfare and specific animal procedures to embracing scientific quality, data reproducibility and translation, and animal welfare as inextricably interdependent and critical components of generation of new scientific knowledge and medical treatments. A current challenge for IACUCs is in evaluating whether benefits to be derived (eg, new knowledge or treatments) justify any unavoidable pain, stress, or injury associated with proposed research protocols, because the former are long-term and at best speculative outcomes, whereas the latter are immediate and tangible for the study animals. Scientific consensus is that research most likely to generate significant new knowledge and medical treatments is that conducted to high scientific, technical, and quality standards and reported with full transparency to facilitate reproducibility. As an alternative to current benefits evaluations included in risk benefit and harm benefit constructs, the authors propose that IACUCs assess the proposed research for scientific quality and alignment of study elements with the study purpose (e.g., Fit for Purpose [FfP]), including justifications for study design components, selection of primary endpoints and technologies, rationale for data and statistical analyses, and research communication plans. Fit for Purpose endpoints are objective, immediate, and impactful as are the potential risks for study animals, and at the same time they are the best predictors for achievement of longer-term benefits. We propose that IACUCs and any revision of The ILAR Guide consider FfP concepts in place of traditional benefits assessment to accelerate the generation of new knowledge and treatments benefiting medical and veterinary patients and the environment through better science and animal welfare rather than to continue to rely on speculative future outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis B Kinter
- President and Principal Scientist, GLP Scientific Consulting LLC, Unionville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Robert H Weichbrod
- Animal Program Administrator (retired), National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ernest D Prentice
- Professor Emeritus, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | | | - Paul W Houghton
- Primatologist and Principal, Primate Products, Inc, Immokalee, Florida, USA
| | - Robert A Whitney
- Former Director of The National Center of Research Resources (NCRR), NIH, Bethesda, MD and former Chair of the US Government Interagency Research Animal Committee (IRAC), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph DeGeorge
- Principal and Managing Partner, Bianca Holdings, LLC, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - W Ron DeHaven
- President, DeHaven Veterinary Solutions, LLC, El Dorado Hills, California, USA
| | - Klaas Kramer
- Laboratory Animal Welfare Officer (retired), VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Louis DeTolla
- Founding Director of the Comparative Medicine Program (retired), University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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24
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Barbosa MAG, Xavier CPR, Pereira RF, Petrikaitė V, Vasconcelos MH. 3D Cell Culture Models as Recapitulators of the Tumor Microenvironment for the Screening of Anti-Cancer Drugs. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:190. [PMID: 35008353 PMCID: PMC8749977 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Today, innovative three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models have been proposed as viable and biomimetic alternatives for initial drug screening, allowing the improvement of the efficiency of drug development. These models are gaining popularity, given their ability to reproduce key aspects of the tumor microenvironment, concerning the 3D tumor architecture as well as the interactions of tumor cells with the extracellular matrix and surrounding non-tumor cells. The development of accurate 3D models may become beneficial to decrease the use of laboratory animals in scientific research, in accordance with the European Union's regulation on the 3R rule (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement). This review focuses on the impact of 3D cell culture models on cancer research, discussing their advantages, limitations, and compatibility with high-throughput screenings and automated systems. An insight is also given on the adequacy of the available readouts for the interpretation of the data obtained from the 3D cell culture models. Importantly, we also emphasize the need for the incorporation of additional and complementary microenvironment elements on the design of 3D cell culture models, towards improved predictive value of drug efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie A. G. Barbosa
- Cancer Drug Resistance Group, IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.A.G.B.); (C.P.R.X.)
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Cristina P. R. Xavier
- Cancer Drug Resistance Group, IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.A.G.B.); (C.P.R.X.)
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Rúben F. Pereira
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
- Biofabrication Group, INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Vilma Petrikaitė
- Laboratory of Drug Targets Histopathology, Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus g 9, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania;
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - M. Helena Vasconcelos
- Cancer Drug Resistance Group, IPATIMUP—Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.A.G.B.); (C.P.R.X.)
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Biological Sciences, FFUP—Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Abstract
During infection, the rates of pathogen replication, death, and migration affect disease progression, dissemination, transmission, and resistance evolution. Here, we follow the population dynamics of Vibrio cholerae in a mouse model by labeling individual bacteria with one of >500 unique, fitness-neutral genomic tags. Using the changes in tag frequencies and CFU numbers, we inform a mathematical model that describes the within-host spatiotemporal bacterial dynamics. This allows us to disentangle growth, death, forward, and retrograde migration rates continuously during infection. Our model has robust predictive power across various experimental setups. The population dynamics of V. cholerae shows substantial spatiotemporal heterogeneity in replication, death, and migration. Importantly, we find that the niche available to V. cholerae in the host increases with inoculum size, suggesting cooperative effects during infection. Therefore, it is not enough to consider just the likelihood of exposure (50% infectious dose) but rather the magnitude of exposure to predict outbreaks. IMPORTANCE Determining the rates of bacterial migration, replication, and death during infection is important for understanding how infections progress. Separately measuring these rates is often difficult in systems where multiple processes happen simultaneously. Here, we use next-generation sequencing to measure V. cholerae migration, replication, death, and niche size along the mouse gastrointestinal tract. We show that the small intestine of the mouse is a heterogeneous environment, and the population dynamic characteristics change substantially between adjacent gut sections. Our approach also allows us to characterize the effect of inoculum size on these processes. We find that the niche size in mice increases with the infectious dose, hinting at cooperative effects in larger inocula. The dose-response relationship between inoculum size and final pathogen burden is important for the infected individual and is thought to influence the progression of V. cholerae epidemics.
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Gkrouzoudi A, Tsingotjidou A, Jirkof P. A systematic review on the reporting quality in mouse telemetry implantation surgery using electrocardiogram recording devices. Physiol Behav 2021; 244:113645. [PMID: 34774869 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telemetric monitoring is used in many scientific fields, such as cardiovascular research, neurology, endocrinology, animal welfare research and many more. Nowadays, implanted electrocardiogram (ECG) radiotelemetry units are the gold standard for monitoring ECG traces, heart rate and heart rate variability in freely moving mice. This technology can be a valuable tool when studies utilise it adequately, while also prioritizing animal welfare. Recently, concerns about the reproducibility of research findings have been raised in many scientific fields with insufficient reporting being one of the underlying causes. A systematic review was performed in three literature databases to include all published studies until 31.12.2019 using surgery that involves the placing of ECG recording telemetry devices in adult mice. Data extracted from the publications included selected items recommended by the ARRIVE guidelines and SYRCLE`s tool for assessing risk of bias. We focused on aspects related to quality of reporting, risk of bias reduction measures and ECG measurements characteristics. In general, the quality of reporting was low to moderate in the 234 analyzed publications regarding the animal, husbandry, statistics, and risk of bias related items, but good for more specific telemetry study characteristics. Based on our analyses we assume that there is no or only slight improvement in the reporting quality since 2010, when the ARRIVE guidelines were published.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Gkrouzoudi
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anastasia Tsingotjidou
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Paulin Jirkof
- Division for Surgical Research, University Hospital Zurich, University Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Office of Animal Welfare and 3Rs, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Gorzalczany SB, Rodriguez Basso AG. Strategies to apply 3Rs in preclinical testing. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2021; 9:e00863. [PMID: 34609088 PMCID: PMC8491455 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal experimentation has been fundamental in biological and biomedical research. To guarantee the maximum quality, efficacy and/or safety of products intended for the use in humans in vivo testing is necessary; however, for over 60 years, alternative methods have been developed in response to the necessity to reduce the number of animals used in experimentation, to guarantee their welfare; resorting to animal models only when strictly necessary. The three Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement), seek to ensure the rational and respectful use of laboratory animals and maintain an adequate projection in terms of bioethical considerations. This article describes different approaches to apply 3Rs in preclinical experimentation for either research or regulatory purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana B. Gorzalczany
- Universidad de Buenos AiresFacultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Pharmacology DepartmentBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Angeles G. Rodriguez Basso
- Universidad de Buenos AiresFacultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Pharmacology DepartmentBuenos AiresArgentina
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28
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Rosenberger K, Simmler M, Langbein J, Keil N, Nawroth C. Performance of goats in a detour and a problem-solving test following long-term cognitive test exposure. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210656. [PMID: 34703619 PMCID: PMC8527204 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive research in long-lived species commonly involves using the same animals in different experiments. It is unclear whether the participation in cognitive tests can notably alter the performance of individuals in subsequent conceptually different tests. We therefore investigated whether exposure to cognitive tests affects future test performance of goats. We used three treatment groups: goats with long-term exposure to human-presented object-choice tests (for visual discrimination and reversal learning tests + cognitive test battery), goats that were isolated as for the test exposure but received a reward from the experimenter without being administered the object-choice tests, and goats that were isolated but neither received a reward nor were administered the tests. All treatment groups were subsequently tested in two conceptually different cognitive tests, namely a spatial A-not-B detour test and an instrumental problem-solving test. We tested dairy goats, selected for high productivity, and dwarf goats, not selected for production traits, each at the same two research sites. We did not find notable differences between treatments with respect to the goats' detour or problem-solving performance. However, high variation was observed between the research sites, the selection lines, and among individuals, highlighting potential pitfalls of making accurate comparisons of cognitive test performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Rosenberger
- Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Agroscope, 8355 Ettenhausen, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - M. Simmler
- Digital Production Group, Agroscope, 8355 Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - J. Langbein
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - N. Keil
- Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Agroscope, 8355 Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - C. Nawroth
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
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Grieco F, Bernstein BJ, Biemans B, Bikovski L, Burnett CJ, Cushman JD, van Dam EA, Fry SA, Richmond-Hacham B, Homberg JR, Kas MJH, Kessels HW, Koopmans B, Krashes MJ, Krishnan V, Logan S, Loos M, McCann KE, Parduzi Q, Pick CG, Prevot TD, Riedel G, Robinson L, Sadighi M, Smit AB, Sonntag W, Roelofs RF, Tegelenbosch RAJ, Noldus LPJJ. Measuring Behavior in the Home Cage: Study Design, Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:735387. [PMID: 34630052 PMCID: PMC8498589 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.735387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproducibility crisis (or replication crisis) in biomedical research is a particularly existential and under-addressed issue in the field of behavioral neuroscience, where, in spite of efforts to standardize testing and assay protocols, several known and unknown sources of confounding environmental factors add to variance. Human interference is a major contributor to variability both within and across laboratories, as well as novelty-induced anxiety. Attempts to reduce human interference and to measure more "natural" behaviors in subjects has led to the development of automated home-cage monitoring systems. These systems enable prolonged and longitudinal recordings, and provide large continuous measures of spontaneous behavior that can be analyzed across multiple time scales. In this review, a diverse team of neuroscientists and product developers share their experiences using such an automated monitoring system that combines Noldus PhenoTyper® home-cages and the video-based tracking software, EthoVision® XT, to extract digital biomarkers of motor, emotional, social and cognitive behavior. After presenting our working definition of a "home-cage", we compare home-cage testing with more conventional out-of-cage tests (e.g., the open field) and outline the various advantages of the former, including opportunities for within-subject analyses and assessments of circadian and ultradian activity. Next, we address technical issues pertaining to the acquisition of behavioral data, such as the fine-tuning of the tracking software and the potential for integration with biotelemetry and optogenetics. Finally, we provide guidance on which behavioral measures to emphasize, how to filter, segment, and analyze behavior, and how to use analysis scripts. We summarize how the PhenoTyper has applications to study neuropharmacology as well as animal models of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric illness. Looking forward, we examine current challenges and the impact of new developments. Examples include the automated recognition of specific behaviors, unambiguous tracking of individuals in a social context, the development of more animal-centered measures of behavior and ways of dealing with large datasets. Together, we advocate that by embracing standardized home-cage monitoring platforms like the PhenoTyper, we are poised to directly assess issues pertaining to reproducibility, and more importantly, measure features of rodent behavior under more ethologically relevant scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Briana J Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Lior Bikovski
- Myers Neuro-Behavioral Core Facility, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- School of Behavioral Sciences, Netanya Academic College, Netanya, Israel
| | - C Joseph Burnett
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Sydney A Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Bar Richmond-Hacham
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Martien J H Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Helmut W Kessels
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Michael J Krashes
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Vaishnav Krishnan
- Laboratory of Epilepsy and Emotional Behavior, Baylor Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sreemathi Logan
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Katharine E McCann
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | | | - Chaim G Pick
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Chair and Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Thomas D Prevot
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gernot Riedel
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Lianne Robinson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mina Sadighi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - William Sonntag
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Center for Geroscience, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | | | | | - Lucas P J J Noldus
- Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Department of Biophysics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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30
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Affiliation(s)
- Penny Reynolds
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
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31
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Yarborough M. Do we really know how many clinical trials are conducted ethically? Why research ethics committee review practices need to be strengthened and initial steps we could take to strengthen them. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2021; 47:572-579. [PMID: 32532827 PMCID: PMC8011810 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2019-106014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Research Ethics Committees (RECs) play a critical gatekeeping role in clinical trials. This role is meant to ensure that only those trials that meet certain ethical thresholds proceed through their gate. Two of these thresholds are that the potential benefits of trials are reasonable in relation to risks and that trials are capable of producing a requisite amount of social value. While one ought not expect perfect execution by RECs of their gatekeeping role, one should expect routine success in it. This article reviews a range of evidence showing that substantial numbers of ethically tainted trials are receiving REC approvals. Many of the trials are early phase trials that evidence shows have benefits that may not be reasonable compared with their risks and many others are later trials that evidence shows may lack sufficient social value. The evidence pertains to such matters as methodologically inadequate preclinical studies incapable of supporting the inferences that REC members must make about the prospects for potential benefit needed to offset the risks in early phase trials and sponsorship bias that can cause improperly designed, conducted, analysed and reported later phase trials. The analysis of the evidence makes clear that REC practices need to be strengthened if they are to adequately fulfil their gatekeeping role. The article also explores options that RECs could use in order to improve their gatekeeping function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Yarborough
- Bioethics Program, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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32
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Sargolzaei S, Kaushik A, Soltani S, Amini MH, Khalghani MR, Khoshavi N, Sargolzaei A. Preclinical Western Blot in the Era of Digital Transformation and Reproducible Research, an Eastern Perspective. Interdiscip Sci 2021; 13:490-499. [PMID: 34080131 DOI: 10.1007/s12539-021-00442-7] [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: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The current research is an interdisciplinary endeavor to develop a necessary tool in preclinical protein studies of diseases or disorders through western blotting. In the era of digital transformation and open access principles, an interactive cloud-based database called East-West Blot ( https://rancs-lab.shinyapps.io/WesternBlots ) is designed and developed. The online interactive subject-specific database built on the R shiny platform facilitates a systematic literature search on the specific subject matter, here set to western blot studies of protein regulation in the preclinical model of TBI. The tool summarizes the existing publicly available knowledge through a data visualization technique and easy access to the critical data elements and links to the study itself. The application compiled a relational database of PubMed-indexed western blot studies labeled under HHS public access, reporting downstream protein regulations presented by fluid percussion injury model of traumatic brain injury. The promises of the developed tool include progressing toward implementing the principles of 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement) for humane experiments, cultivating the prerequisites of reproducible research in terms of reporting characteristics, paving the ways for a more collaborative experimental design in basic science, and rendering an up-to-date and summarized perspective of current publicly available knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saman Sargolzaei
- Department of Engineering, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, TN, USA.
| | - Ajeet Kaushik
- Department of Natural Sciences, Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - Seyed Soltani
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - M Hadi Amini
- School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mohammad Reza Khalghani
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - Navid Khoshavi
- Computer Science Department, Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - Arman Sargolzaei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, USA
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Eggel M, Würbel H. Internal consistency and compatibility of the 3Rs and 3Vs principles for project evaluation of animal research. Lab Anim 2021; 55:233-243. [PMID: 33215575 PMCID: PMC8182293 DOI: 10.1177/0023677220968583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Using animals for research raises ethical concerns that are addressed in project evaluation by weighing expected harm to animals against expected benefit to society. A harm-benefit analysis (HBA) relies on two preconditions: (a) the study protocol is scientifically suitable and (b) the use of (sentient) animals and harm imposed on them are necessary for achieving the study's aims. The 3Rs (Replace, Reduce and Refine) provide a guiding principle for evaluating whether the use of animals, their number and the harm imposed on them are necessary. A similar guiding principle for evaluating whether a study protocol is scientifically suitable has recently been proposed: the 3Vs principle referring to the three main aspects of scientific validity in animal research (construct, internal and external validity). Here, we analyse the internal consistency and compatibility of these two principles, address conflicts within and between the 3Rs and 3Vs principles and discuss their implications for project evaluation. We show that a few conflicts and trade-offs exist, but that these can be resolved either by appropriate study designs or by ethical deliberation in the HBA. In combination, the 3Vs, 3Rs and the HBA thus offer a coherent framework for a logically structured evaluation procedure to decide about the legitimacy of animal research projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Eggel
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics and History of
Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hanno Würbel
- Animal Welfare Division, Veterinary Public Health
Institute University of Bern, Switzerland
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Abstract
Within preclinical research, attention has focused on experimental design and how current practices can lead to poor reproducibility. There are numerous decision points when designing experiments. Ethically, when working with animals we need to conduct a harm-benefit analysis to ensure the animal use is justified for the scientific gain. Experiments should be robust, not use more or fewer animals than necessary, and truly add to the knowledge base of science. Using case studies to explore these decision points, we consider how individual experiments can be designed in several different ways. We use the Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) graphical summary of each experiment to visualise the design differences and then consider the strengths and weaknesses of each design. Through this format, we explore key and topical experimental design issues such as pseudo-replication, blocking, covariates, sex bias, inference space, standardisation fallacy and factorial designs. There are numerous articles discussing these critical issues in the literature, but here we bring together these topics and explore them using real-world examples allowing the implications of the choice of design to be considered. Fundamentally, there is no perfect experiment; choices must be made which will have an impact on the conclusions that can be drawn. We need to understand the limitations of an experiment's design and when we report the experiments, we need to share the caveats that inherently exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha A Karp
- Data Sciences and Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca R&D Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Derek Fry
- The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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35
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Aguilera B, Perez Gomez J, DeGrazia D. Should biomedical research with great apes be restricted? A systematic review of reasons. BMC Med Ethics 2021; 22:15. [PMID: 33593335 PMCID: PMC7888082 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-021-00580-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of great apes (GA) in invasive biomedical research is one of the most debated topics in animal ethics. GA are, thus far, the only animal group that has frequently been banned from invasive research; yet some believe that these bans could inaugurate a broader trend towards greater restrictions on the use of primates and other animals in research. Despite ongoing academic and policy debate on this issue, there is no comprehensive overview of the reasons advanced for or against restricting invasive research with GA. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of the reasons reported in the academic literature on this topic. METHODS Seven databases were searched for articles published in English. Two authors screened the titles, abstracts, and full texts of all articles. Two journals specialized in animal ethics, and the reference lists of included articles were subsequently also reviewed. RESULTS We included 60 articles, most of which were published between 2006 and 2016. Twenty-five articles argued for a total ban of GA research, 21 articles defended partial restrictions, and 14 articles argued against restrictions. Overall, we identified 110 reason types, 74 for, and 36 against, restricting GA research. Reasons were grouped into nine domains: moral standing, science, welfare, public and expert attitudes, retirement and conservation, respect and rights, financial costs, law and legal status, and longer-term consequences. CONCLUSION Our review generated five main findings. First, there is a trend in the academic debate in favor of restricting GA research that parallels worldwide policy changes in the same direction. Second, in several domains (e.g., moral standing, and respect and rights), the reasons were rather one-sided in favor of restrictions. Third, some prominent domains (e.g., science and welfare) featured considerable engagement between opposing positions. Fourth, there is low diversity and independence among authors, including frequent potential conflicts of interests in articles defending a strong position (i.e., favoring a total ban or arguing against restrictions). Fifth, scholarly discussion was not the norm, as reflected in a high proportion of non-peer-reviewed articles and authors affiliated to non-academic institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Aguilera
- Department of Bioethics, The Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA
- Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Bioethics, NIH Clinical Center, Bldg. 10, Room 1C118, Bethesda, MD 20892-115 USA
| | | | - David DeGrazia
- Department of Bioethics, The Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA
- Department of Philosophy, George Washington University, Washington, USA
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36
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Franco NH, Miranda SB, Kovács N, Nagy A, Thiện BQ, Reis F, Varga O. Assessing Scientific Soundness and Translational Value of Animal Studies on DPP4 Inhibitors for Treating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:155. [PMID: 33669354 PMCID: PMC7920304 DOI: 10.3390/biology10020155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Although there is a wide range of animal models of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) used in research; we have limited evidence on their translation value. This paper provides a) a comparison of preclinical animal and clinical results on the effect of five dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors by comparing the pharmaceutical caused glucose changes, and b) an evaluation of methodological and reporting standards in T2DM preclinical animal studies. DPP4 inhibitors play an important role in the clinical management of T2DM: if metformin alone is not sufficient enough to control the blood sugar levels, DPP4 inhibitors are often used as second-line therapy; additionally, DPP-4 inhibitors are also used in triple therapies with metformin and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors or with metformin and insulin. In our analysis of 124 preclinical studies and 47 clinical trials, (1) we found no evidence of species differences in glucose change response to DPP4 inhibitors, which may suggest that, for this drug class, studies in mice and rats may be equally predictive of how well a drug will work in humans; and (2) there is good reporting of group size, sex, age, euthanasia method and self-reported compliance with animal welfare regulations in animal studies but poor reporting of justification of group size, along with a strong bias towards the use of male animals and young animals. Instead of the common non-transparent model selection, we call for a reflective and evidenced-based assessment of predictive validity of the animal models currently available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno Henrique Franco
- Laboratory Animal Science Group, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (N.H.F.); (S.B.M.)
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação da Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sonia Batista Miranda
- Laboratory Animal Science Group, IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (N.H.F.); (S.B.M.)
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação da Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nóra Kovács
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Kassai út 26, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Attila Nagy
- Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Kassai út 26, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Bùi Quốc Thiện
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Egyetem Square 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Flávio Reis
- Institute of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal;
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Orsolya Varga
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Kassai út 26, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary;
- Office for Research Groups Attached to Universities and Other Institutions, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1051 Budapest, Hungary
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37
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Drude NI, Martinez Gamboa L, Danziger M, Dirnagl U, Toelch U. Improving preclinical studies through replications. eLife 2021; 10:e62101. [PMID: 33432925 PMCID: PMC7817176 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of preclinical research is to inform the development of novel diagnostics or therapeutics, and the results of experiments on animal models of disease often inform the decision to conduct studies in humans. However, a substantial number of clinical trials fail, even when preclinical studies have apparently demonstrated the efficacy of a given intervention. A number of large-scale replication studies are currently trying to identify the factors that influence the robustness of preclinical research. Here, we discuss replications in the context of preclinical research trajectories, and argue that increasing validity should be a priority when selecting experiments to replicate and when performing the replication. We conclude that systematically improving three domains of validity - internal, external and translational - will result in a more efficient allocation of resources, will be more ethical, and will ultimately increase the chances of successful translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natascha Ingrid Drude
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Charité–UniversitätsmedizinBerlinGermany
- BIH QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
| | - Lorena Martinez Gamboa
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Charité–UniversitätsmedizinBerlinGermany
- BIH QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
| | - Meggie Danziger
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Charité–UniversitätsmedizinBerlinGermany
- BIH QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
| | - Ulrich Dirnagl
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Charité–UniversitätsmedizinBerlinGermany
- BIH QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
| | - Ulf Toelch
- BIH QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
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38
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Liddle LJ, Ralhan S, Ward DL, Colbourne F. Translational Intracerebral Hemorrhage Research: Has Current Neuroprotection Research ARRIVEd at a Standard for Experimental Design and Reporting? Transl Stroke Res 2020; 11:1203-1213. [PMID: 32504197 PMCID: PMC7575495 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-020-00824-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
One major aim of preclinical intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) research is to develop and test potential neuroprotectants. Published guidelines for experimental design and reporting stress the importance of clearly and completely reporting results and methodological details to ensure reproducibility and maximize information availability. The current review has two objectives: first, to characterize current ICH neuroprotection research and, second, to analyze aspects of translational design in preclinical ICH studies. Translational design is the adoption and reporting of experimental design characteristics that are thought to be clinically relevant and critical to reproducibility in animal studies (e.g., conducting and reporting experiments according to the STAIR and ARRIVE guidelines, respectively). Given that ICH has no current neuroprotective treatments and an ongoing reproducibility crisis in preclinical research, translational design should be considered by investigators. We conducted a systematic review of ICH research from 2015 to 2019 using the PubMed database. Our search returned 281 published manuscripts studying putative neuroprotectants in animal models. Contemporary ICH research predominantly uses young, healthy male rodents. The collagenase model is the most commonly used. Reporting of group sizes, blinding, and randomization are almost unanimous, but group size calculations, mortality and exclusion criteria, and animal model characteristics are infrequently reported. Overall, current ICH neuroprotection research somewhat aligns with experimental design and reporting guidelines. However, there are areas for improvement. Because failure to consider translational design is associated with inflation of effect sizes (and possibly hindered reproducibility), we suggest that researchers, editors, and publishers collaboratively consider enhanced adherence to published guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lane J Liddle
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Shivani Ralhan
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Daniel L Ward
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Frederick Colbourne
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada.
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39
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Kringe L, Sena ES, Motschall E, Bahor Z, Wang Q, Herrmann AM, Mülling C, Meckel S, Boltze J. Quality and validity of large animal experiments in stroke: A systematic review. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2020; 40:2152-2164. [PMID: 32576074 PMCID: PMC7585919 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x20931062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
An important factor for successful translational stroke research is study quality. Low-quality studies are at risk of biased results and effect overestimation, as has been intensely discussed for small animal stroke research. However, little is known about the methodological rigor and quality in large animal stroke models, which are becoming more frequently used in the field. Based on research in two databases, this systematic review surveys and analyses the methodological quality in large animal stroke research. Quality analysis was based on the Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable and the Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments guidelines. Our analysis revealed that large animal models are utilized with similar shortcomings as small animal models. Moreover, translational benefits of large animal models may be limited due to lacking implementation of important quality criteria such as randomization, allocation concealment, and blinded assessment of outcome. On the other hand, an increase of study quality over time and a positive correlation between study quality and journal impact factor were identified. Based on the obtained findings, we derive recommendations for optimal study planning, conducting, and data analysis/reporting when using large animal stroke models to fully benefit from the translational advantages offered by these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leona Kringe
- Department of Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emily S Sena
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Edith Motschall
- Institute for Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Zsanett Bahor
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Qianying Wang
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrea M Herrmann
- Department of Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Mülling
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Meckel
- Department of Neuroradiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Boltze
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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40
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Steiner AR, Rousseau-Blass F, Schroeter A, Hartnack S, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R. Systematic Review: Anaesthetic Protocols and Management as Confounders in Rodent Blood Oxygen Level Dependent Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (BOLD fMRI)-Part A: Effects of Changes in Physiological Parameters. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:577119. [PMID: 33192261 PMCID: PMC7646331 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.577119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: To understand brain function in health and disease, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is widely used in rodent models. Because animals need to be immobilised for image acquisition, fMRI is commonly performed under anaesthesia. The choice of anaesthetic protocols and may affect fMRI readouts, either directly or via changing physiological balance, and thereby threaten the scientific validity of fMRI in rodents. Methods: The present study systematically reviewed the literature investigating the influence of different anaesthesia regimes and changes in physiological parameters as confounders of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI in rats and mice. Four databases were searched, studies selected according to pre-defined criteria, and risk of bias assessed for each study. Results are reported in two separate articles; this part of the review focuses on effects of changes in physiological parameters. Results: A total of 121 publications was included, of which 49 addressed effects of changes in physiological parameters. Risk of bias was high in all included studies. Blood oxygenation [arterial partial pressure of oxygen (paO2)], ventilation [arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (paCO2)] and arterial blood pressure affected BOLD fMRI readouts across various experimental paradigms. Conclusions: Blood oxygenation, ventilation and arterial blood pressure should be monitored and maintained at stable physiological levels throughout experiments. Appropriate anaesthetic management and monitoring are crucial to obtain scientifically valid, reproducible results from fMRI studies in rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline R. Steiner
- Section of Anaesthesiology, Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Services, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Frédérik Rousseau-Blass
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Aileen Schroeter
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sonja Hartnack
- Section of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Regula Bettschart-Wolfensberger
- Section of Anaesthesiology, Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Services, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Lang GP, Ndongson-Dongmo B, Lajqi T, Brodhun M, Han Y, Wetzker R, Frasch MG, Bauer R. Impact of ambient temperature on inflammation-induced encephalopathy in endotoxemic mice-role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:292. [PMID: 33028343 PMCID: PMC7541275 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01954-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is an early and frequent event of infection-induced systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) is linked to neuroinflammation and inflammation-related microglial activity. In homeotherms, variations in ambient temperature (Ta) outside the thermoneutral zone lead to thermoregulatory responses, mainly driven by a gradually increasing sympathetic activity, and may affect disease severity. We hypothesized that thermoregulatory response to hypothermia (reduced Ta) aggravates SAE in PI3Kγ-dependent manner. METHODS Experiments were performed in wild-type, PI3Kγ knockout, and PI3Kγ kinase-dead mice, which were kept at neutral (30 ± 0.5 °C) or moderately lowered (26 ± 0.5 °C) Ta. Mice were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 μg/g, from Escherichia coli serotype 055:B5, single intraperitoneal injection)-evoked systemic inflammatory response (SIR) and monitored 24 h for thermoregulatory response and blood-brain barrier integrity. Primary microglial cells and brain tissue derived from treated mice were analyzed for inflammatory responses and related cell functions. Comparisons between groups were made with one-way or two-way analysis of variance, as appropriate. Post hoc comparisons were made with the Holm-Sidak test or t tests with Bonferroni's correction for adjustments of multiple comparisons. Data not following normal distribution was tested with Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparisons test. RESULTS We show that a moderate reduction of ambient temperature triggers enhanced hypothermia of mice undergoing LPS-induced systemic inflammation by aggravated SAE. PI3Kγ deficiency enhances blood-brain barrier injury and upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as well as an impaired microglial phagocytic activity. CONCLUSIONS Thermoregulatory adaptation in response to ambient temperatures below the thermoneutral range exacerbates LPS-induced blood-brain barrier injury and neuroinflammation. PI3Kγ serves a protective role in suppressing release of MMPs, maintaining microglial motility and reinforcing phagocytosis leading to improved brain tissue integrity. Thus, preclinical research targeting severe brain inflammation responses is seriously biased when basic physiological prerequisites of mammal species such as preferred ambient temperature are ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Ping Lang
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Hans-Knöll-Straße 2, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine and Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563006 China
| | - Bernadin Ndongson-Dongmo
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Hans-Knöll-Straße 2, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Trim Lajqi
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Hans-Knöll-Straße 2, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Neonatology, University Children’s Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Brodhun
- Department of Pathology, Helios-Klinikum Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
| | - Yingying Han
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Reinhard Wetzker
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Reinhard Bauer
- Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Hans-Knöll-Straße 2, D-07745 Jena, Germany
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von Kortzfleisch VT, Karp NA, Palme R, Kaiser S, Sachser N, Richter SH. Improving reproducibility in animal research by splitting the study population into several 'mini-experiments'. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16579. [PMID: 33024165 PMCID: PMC7538440 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73503-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In light of the hotly discussed 'reproducibility crisis', a rethinking of current methodologies appears essential. Implementing multi-laboratory designs has been shown to enhance the external validity and hence the reproducibility of findings from animal research. We here aimed at proposing a new experimental strategy that transfers this logic into a single-laboratory setting. We systematically introduced heterogeneity into our study population by splitting an experiment into several 'mini-experiments' spread over different time points a few weeks apart. We hypothesised to observe improved reproducibility in such a 'mini-experiment' design in comparison to a conventionally standardised design, according to which all animals are tested at one specific point in time. By comparing both designs across independent replicates, we could indeed show that the use of such a 'mini-experiment' design improved the reproducibility and accurate detection of exemplary treatment effects (behavioural and physiological differences between four mouse strains) in about half of all investigated strain comparisons. Thus, we successfully implemented and empirically validated an easy-to-handle strategy to tackle poor reproducibility in single-laboratory studies. Since other experiments within different life science disciplines share the main characteristics with the investigation reported here, these studies are likely to also benefit from this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Tabea von Kortzfleisch
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestraße 13, Münster, Germany.
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Natasha A Karp
- Data Sciences and Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestraße 13, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestraße 13, Münster, Germany
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - S Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestraße 13, Münster, Germany.
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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Percie du Sert N, Ahluwalia A, Alam S, Avey MT, Baker M, Browne WJ, Clark A, Cuthill IC, Dirnagl U, Emerson M, Garner P, Holgate ST, Howells DW, Hurst V, Karp NA, Lazic SE, Lidster K, MacCallum CJ, Macleod M, Pearl EJ, Petersen OH, Rawle F, Reynolds P, Rooney K, Sena ES, Silberberg SD, Steckler T, Würbel H. Reporting animal research: Explanation and elaboration for the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000411. [PMID: 32663221 PMCID: PMC7360025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 989] [Impact Index Per Article: 247.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving the reproducibility of biomedical research is a major challenge. Transparent and accurate reporting is vital to this process; it allows readers to assess the reliability of the findings and repeat or build upon the work of other researchers. The ARRIVE guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) were developed in 2010 to help authors and journals identify the minimum information necessary to report in publications describing in vivo experiments. Despite widespread endorsement by the scientific community, the impact of ARRIVE on the transparency of reporting in animal research publications has been limited. We have revised the ARRIVE guidelines to update them and facilitate their use in practice. The revised guidelines are published alongside this paper. This explanation and elaboration document was developed as part of the revision. It provides further information about each of the 21 items in ARRIVE 2.0, including the rationale and supporting evidence for their inclusion in the guidelines, elaboration of details to report, and examples of good reporting from the published literature. This document also covers advice and best practice in the design and conduct of animal studies to support researchers in improving standards from the start of the experimental design process through to publication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amrita Ahluwalia
- The William Harvey Research Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Barts Cardiovascular CTU, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabina Alam
- Taylor & Francis Group, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marc T. Avey
- Health Science Practice, ICF, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Monya Baker
- Nature, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | | | | | - Innes C. Cuthill
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrich Dirnagl
- QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of Health & Department of Experimental Neurology, Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Emerson
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Garner
- Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, Clinical Sciences Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen T. Holgate
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - David W. Howells
- Tasmanian School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | | | - Natasha A. Karp
- Data Sciences & Quantitative Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Malcolm Macleod
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ole H. Petersen
- Academia Europaea Knowledge Hub, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Penny Reynolds
- Statistics in Anesthesiology Research (STAR) Core, Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kieron Rooney
- Discipline of Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emily S. Sena
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Shai D. Silberberg
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Hanno Würbel
- Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Reproducibility of animal research in light of biological variation. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:384-393. [PMID: 32488205 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0313-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Context-dependent biological variation presents a unique challenge to the reproducibility of results in experimental animal research, because organisms' responses to experimental treatments can vary with both genotype and environmental conditions. In March 2019, experts in animal biology, experimental design and statistics convened in Blonay, Switzerland, to discuss strategies addressing this challenge. In contrast to the current gold standard of rigorous standardization in experimental animal research, we recommend the use of systematic heterogenization of study samples and conditions by actively incorporating biological variation into study design through diversifying study samples and conditions. Here we provide the scientific rationale for this approach in the hope that researchers, regulators, funders and editors can embrace this paradigm shift. We also present a road map towards better practices in view of improving the reproducibility of animal research.
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Abstract
The recent discussion on the reproducibility of scientific results is
particularly relevant for preclinical research with animal models. Within
certain areas of preclinical research, there exists the tradition of repeating
an experiment at least twice to demonstrate replicability. If the results of the
first two experiments do not agree, then the experiment might be repeated a
third time. Sometimes data of one representative experiment are shown; sometimes
data from different experiments are pooled. However, there are hardly any
guidelines about how to plan for such an experimental design or how to report
the results obtained. This article provides a thorough statistical analysis of
pre-planned experimental replications as they are currently often applied in
practice and gives some recommendations about how to improve on study design and
statistical analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Frommlet
- Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Section for Medical Statistics, Medical University Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Heinze
- Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Section for Clinical Biometrics, Medical University Vienna, Austria
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Harm-Benefit Analysis May Not Be the Best Approach to Ensure Minimal Harms and Maximal Benefits of Animal Research-Alternatives Should Be Explored. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10020291. [PMID: 32059540 PMCID: PMC7070552 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this commentary, I discuss the caveats of incorporating a harm-benefit analysis (HBA) as part of the ethical evaluation of animal research. I argue that employing HBA can lead to decisions that are deleterious for research as well as animal welfare. I therefore call on policy-makers to reconsider the placement of HBA jargon in the guidelines and support an alternative guideline that is both practical and ethical. I based this argument on theoretical considerations but also on my years of experience as head of an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and as a representative in the Israeli Council of Animal Experimentation. Abstract Using animals in scientific research is commonly justified on the utilitarian basis that the benefits of scientific progress to human health and society exceed by far the harm inflicted on animals. In an attempt to ensure that this is indeed the case for every research project, legislation and guidelines increasingly demand the application of harm-benefit analysis (HBA) as part of the approval process of animal research protocols. The ethical principle of HBA asserts that the costs of an action should be weighed against the expected benefits. Any action that may inflict harm can only be approved if it is associated with a greater benefit. This principle is intuitively appealing but how to use it as a practical rule for ethical decisions is a difficult question. The main difficulty is that the future benefits of most scientific research are unmeasurable, unpredictable and are not manifested at the level of the individual project. Applying HBA in such cases may impede scientific progress by inducing a bias against basic research. Moreover, it can lead to the toleration of unnecessary harm to animals in research. Given these caveats of HBA, I call policy-makers to reconsider the place of HBA in animal research. Instead, I support an alternative guideline which is based on replacing the HBA principle (that the expected benefits of the research must exceed the harms caused to the animals) with two independent but mutually necessary principles: (1) any research using an animal must carry a benefit for society and (2) the harm inflicted to an animal in an experiment must be minimal and scientifically justified. I argue that rigorous harm-analysis, which is not weighted against obscure benefits, can increase the over-all benefits of research while reducing the harms to animals.
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What a Difference a Gene Makes: Identification of Virulence Factors of Cowpox Virus. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01625-19. [PMID: 31645446 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01625-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cowpox virus (CPXV) is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus (OPV) that causes spillover infections from its animal hosts to humans. In 2009, several human CPXV cases occurred through transmission from pet rats. An isolate from a diseased rat, RatPox09, exhibited significantly increased virulence in Wistar rats and caused high mortality compared to that caused by the mildly virulent laboratory strain Brighton Red (BR). The RatPox09 genome encodes four genes which are absent in the BR genome. We hypothesized that their gene products could be major factors influencing the high virulence of RatPox09. To address this hypothesis, we employed several BR-RatPox09 chimeric viruses. Using Red-mediated mutagenesis, we generated BR-based knock-in mutants with single or multiple insertions of the respective RatPox09 genes. High-throughput sequencing was used to verify the genomic integrity of all recombinant viruses, and transcriptomic analyses confirmed that the expression profiles of the genes that were adjacent to the modified ones were unaltered. While the in vitro growth kinetics were comparable to those of BR and RatPox09, we discovered that a knock-in BR mutant containing the four RatPox09-specific genes was as virulent as the RatPox09 isolate, causing death in over 75% of infected Wistar rats. Unexpectedly, the insertion of gCPXV0030 (g7tGP) alone into the BR genome resulted in significantly higher clinical scores and lower survival rates matching the rate for rats infected with RatPox09. The insertion of gCPXV0284, encoding the BTB (broad-complex, tramtrack, and bric-à-brac) domain protein D7L, also increased the virulence of BR, while the other two open reading frames failed to rescue virulence independently. In summary, our results confirmed our hypothesis that a relatively small set of four genes can contribute significantly to CPXV virulence in the natural rat animal model.IMPORTANCE With the cessation of vaccination against smallpox and its assumed cross-protectivity against other OPV infections, waning immunity could open up new niches for related poxviruses. Therefore, the identification of virulence mechanisms in CPXV is of general interest. Here, we aimed to identify virulence markers in an experimental rodent CPXV infection model using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based virus recombineering. We focused our work on the recent zoonotic CPXV isolate RatPox09, which is highly pathogenic in Wistar rats, unlike the avirulent BR reference strain. In several animal studies, we were able to identify a novel set of CPXV virulence genes. Two of the identified virulence genes, encoding a putative BTB/POZ protein (CPXVD7L) and a B22R-family protein (CPXV7tGP), respectively, have not yet been described to be involved in CPXV virulence. Our results also show that single genes can significantly affect virulence, thus facilitating adaptation to other hosts.
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Abstract
Measurement of blood glucose concentration is a common end point in studies using animal models of diabetes. Usually a blood glucose meter is used to measure non-fasted blood glucose concentrations, typically at frequencies of between 1 and 7 times per week. This process involves pricking the tip of the tail to collect a small blood sample (0.5-5 μL), which could potentially cause a stress response and affect blood glucose concentrations. Moreover, with blood glucose concentrations constantly fluctuating in response to feeding and activity, a single-point measurement can easily misrepresent the actual glycemic control of the animal. In this chapter, we discuss the use of continuous glucose monitoring in mice by radio-telemetry which allows second-by-second changes in blood glucose to be captured without restraining the mouse. Glucose excursions rather than single-point measurements may prove more useful in detecting effects of treatments, and lack of handling may avoid stress responses causing artefacts. We outline what is involved in implanting such devices into mice including some practical tips to maximize success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aileen J F King
- Department of Diabetes, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Matilda R Kennard
- Department of Diabetes, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Manasi Nandi
- School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
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Brancato V, Oliveira JM, Correlo VM, Reis RL, Kundu SC. Could 3D models of cancer enhance drug screening? Biomaterials 2019; 232:119744. [PMID: 31918229 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a multifaceted pathology, where cellular and acellular players interact to drive cancer progression and, in the worst-case, metastasis. The current methods to investigate the heterogeneous nature of cancer are inadequate, since they rely on 2D cell cultures and animal models. The cell line-based drug efficacy and toxicity assays are not able to predict the tumor response to anti-cancer agents and it is already widely discussed how molecular pathway are not recapitulated in vitro so called flat biology. On the other side, animal models often fail to detect the side-effects of drugs, mimic the metastatic progression or the interaction between cancer and immune system, due to biologic difference in human and animals. Moreover, ethical and regulatory issues limit animal experimentation. Every year pharma/biotech companies lose resources in drug discovery and testing processes that are successful only in 5% of the cases. There is an urgent need to validate accurate and predictive platforms in order to enhance drug-testing process taking into account the physiopathology of the tumor microenvironment. Three dimensional in vitro tumor models could enhance drug manufactures in developing effective drugs for cancer diseases. The 3D in vitro cancer models can improve the predictability of toxicity and drug sensitivity in cancer. Despite the demonstrated advantages of 3D in vitro disease systems when compared to 2D culture and animal models, they still do not reach the standardization required for preclinical trials. This review highlights in vitro models that may be used as preclinical models, accelerating the drug development process towards more precise and personalized standard of care for cancer patients. We describe the state-of-the art of 3D in vitro culture systems, with a focus on how these different approaches could be coupled in order to achieve a compromise between standardization and reliability in recapitulating tumor microenvironment and drug response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Brancato
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Joaquim Miguel Oliveira
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Vitor Manuel Correlo
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui Luis Reis
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Subhas C Kundu
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal.
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Robinson KJ, Bosch OJ, Levkowitz G, Busch KE, Jarman AP, Ludwig M. Social creatures: Model animal systems for studying the neuroendocrine mechanisms of social behaviour. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12807. [PMID: 31679160 PMCID: PMC6916380 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of animals with conspecifics, termed social behaviour, has a major impact on the survival of many vertebrate species. Neuropeptide hormones modulate the underlying physiology that governs social interactions, and many findings concerning the neuroendocrine mechanisms of social behaviours have been extrapolated from animal models to humans. Neurones expressing neuropeptides show similar distribution patterns within the hypothalamic nucleus, even when evolutionarily distant species are compared. During evolution, hypothalamic neuropeptides and releasing hormones have retained not only their structures, but also their biological functions, including their effects on behaviour. Here, we review the current understanding of the mechanisms of social behaviours in several classes of animals, such as worms, insects and fish, as well as laboratory, wild and domesticated mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J. Robinson
- Sea Mammal Research UnitScottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Oliver J. Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular NeurobiologyUniversity of RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Department of Molecular Cell BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | | | - Andrew P. Jarman
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Mike Ludwig
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Centre for NeuroendocrinologyDepartment of ImmunologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
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