In Vitro Toxicity Tests Using Biological Methods

In toxicology the development and application of in vitro alternatives to reduce or replace animal testing, or to lessen the distress and discomfort of laboratory animals, is a rapidly developing trend. However, at present there is no formal administrative process to organize, coordinate, or evaluate these activities. A framework capable of fostering the validation of new methods is essential for the effective transfer of new technology from the research laboratory to practical use. This committee has identified four essential validation resources: chemical bank(s), cell and tissue banks, a data bank, and reference laboratories. We recommend the creation of a Scientific Advisory Board of experts in toxicity testing, representing the academic, industrial and regulatory communities. Test validation acceptance is contingent upon broad buy-in by disparate groups in the scientific community: academia, industry and government. We believe that this can be achieved by early and frequent communication among the parties and agreement upon common goals. The committee hopes that the creation of a validation infrastructure built with the elements described in this report will facilitate scientific acceptance and utilization of alternative methodologies and speed implementation of reduction, refinement and replacement alternatives in toxicity testing.

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Assessment of toxic effects of metal nanoparticles using biomarkers and in vitro toxicity tests

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A Molecular & Integrative Physiology ◽

10.1016/j.cbpa.2010.06.061 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 157 ◽

pp. S22

Author(s):

M.P. Cajaraville

Keyword(s):

Metal Nanoparticles ◽

Toxic Effects ◽

Toxicity Tests ◽

In Vitro Toxicity

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Preparation of nanoparticle dispersions for in-vitro toxicity testing

Human & Experimental Toxicology ◽

10.1177/0960327109105158 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 28 (6-7) ◽

pp. 377-385 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

M. Vippola ◽

GCM Falck ◽

HK Lindberg ◽

S. Suhonen ◽

E. Vanhala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Culture Media ◽

Biological Effects ◽

Lung Surfactant ◽

Calf Serum ◽

Toxicity Testing ◽

Toxicity Tests ◽

In Vitro Toxicity ◽

Bronchial Epithelial ◽

Titanium Dioxides

Studies on potential toxicity of engineered nanoparticle (ENP) in biological systems require a proper and accurate particle characterization to ensure the reproducibility of the results and to understand biological effects of ENP. A full characterization of ENP should include various measurements such as particle size and size distribution, shape and morphology, crystallinity, composition, surface chemistry, and surface area of ENP. It is also important to characterize the state of ENP dispersions. In this study, four different ENPs, rutile and anatase titanium dioxides and short single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, were characterized in two dispersion media: bronchial epithelial growth medium, used for bronchial epithelial BEAS cells, and RPMI-1640 culture media with 10% of fetal calf serum (FCS) for human mesothelial (MeT-5A) cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of ENPs and their dispersions as well as to compare dispersion additives suitable for toxicity tests and thus establish an appropriate way to prepare dispersions that performs well with the selected ENP. Dispersion additives studied in the media were bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a protein resource, dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) as a model lung surfactant, and combination of BSA and DPPC. Dispersions were characterized using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Our results showed that protein addition, BSA or FCS, in cell culture media generated small agglomerates of primary particles with narrow size variations and improved the stability of the dispersions and thus also the relevance of the in-vitro genotoxicity tests to be done.

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MEIC Evaluation of Acute Systemic Toxicity

Alternatives to Laboratory Animals ◽

10.1177/026119299602400102.1 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 24 (1_part_1) ◽

pp. 251-272 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cecilia Clemedson ◽

Elisabeth McFarlane-Abdulla ◽

Marianne Andersson ◽

Frank A. Barile ◽

Mabel C. Calleja ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Full Range ◽

Primary Cultures ◽

In Vitro Cytotoxicity ◽

Systemic Toxicity ◽

Toxicity Tests ◽

In Vitro Toxicity ◽

Blood Concentrations ◽

Differentiated Cells ◽

Basal Cytotoxicity

The multicentre evaluation of in vitro cytotoxicity (MEIC) study is a programme designed to evaluate the relevance of in vitro toxicity tests for predicting human toxicity, and is organised by the Scandinavian Society for Cell Toxicology. The project started in 1989 and is scheduled to be finished by June 1996. MEIC is a voluntary effort by international laboratories to test the same 50 reference chemicals in their own in vitro toxicity systems. At present, 31 laboratories have submitted results for the first 30 reference chemicals from a total of 68 in vitro cytotoxicity tests. In the definitive evaluation of the MEIC programme, these in vitro results will be compared with human lethal blood concentrations and other relevant acute systemic toxicity data, and the results will be published as a series of articles. This paper, which is the first article in this series, describes and analyses the methodologies used in the 68 tests. The origins and purities of the test chemicals, the biological systems and the toxicity endpoints are also discussed. Since MEIC is not centrally directed, the selection of tests was entirely dependent on the preferences of the individual laboratories. Thus, the collection of tests is not representative of the full range of existing in vitro toxicity tests. In our study, basal cytotoxicity tests and ecotoxicological tests are prevalent, while tests for toxicity to primary cultures of differentiated cells, measured by organotypic toxicity endpoints, are clearly under-represented.

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