Workshop Proceedings

2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Stagg ◽  
Hanan N. Ghantous ◽  
Gregory S. Ladics ◽  
Robert V. House ◽  
Steven M. Gendel ◽  
...  

A workshop entitled “Challenges and Opportunities in Evaluating Protein Allergenicity across Biotechnology Industries” was held at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) in San Francisco, California. The workshop was sponsored by the Biotechnology Specialty Section of SOT and was designed to present the science-based approaches used in biotechnology industries to evaluate and regulate protein allergenicity. A panel of experts from industry and government highlighted the allergenicity testing requirements and research in the agricultural, pharmaceutical/biopharma, and vaccine biotechnology industries and addressed challenges and opportunities for advancing the science of protein allergenicity. The main learning from the workshop was that immunoglobulin E-mediated allergenicity of biotechnology-derived products is difficult to assess without human data. The approaches currently being used to evaluate potential for allergenicity across biotechnology industries are very different and range from bioinformatics, in vitro serology, in vivo animal testing, in vitro and in vivo functional assays, and “biosimilar” assessments (ie, biotherapeutic equivalents to innovator products). The challenge remains with regard to the different or lack of regulatory requirements for allergenicity testing across industries, but the novel approaches being used with bioinformatics and biosimilars may lead to opportunities in the future to collaborate across biotechnology industries.

Author(s):  
Francesca Pistollato ◽  
Federica Madia ◽  
Raffaella Corvi ◽  
Sharon Munn ◽  
Elise Grignard ◽  
...  

AbstractThe EU Directive 2010/63/EU   on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and other EU regulations, such as REACH and the Cosmetic Products Regulation advocate for a change in the way toxicity testing is conducted. Whilst the Cosmetic Products Regulation bans animal testing altogether, REACH aims for a progressive shift from in vivo testing towards quantitative in vitro and computational approaches. Several endpoints can already be addressed using non-animal approaches including skin corrosion and irritation, serious eye damage and irritation, skin sensitisation, and mutagenicity and genotoxicity. However, for systemic effects such as acute toxicity, repeated dose toxicity and reproductive and developmental toxicity, evaluation of chemicals under REACH still heavily relies on animal tests. Here we summarise current EU regulatory requirements for the human health assessment of chemicals under REACH and the Cosmetic Products Regulation, considering the more critical endpoints and identifying the main challenges in introducing alternative methods into regulatory testing practice. This supports a recent initiative taken by the International Cooperation on Alternative Test Methods (ICATM) to summarise current regulatory requirements specific for the assessment of chemicals and cosmetic products for several human health-related endpoints, with the aim of comparing different jurisdictions and coordinating the promotion and ultimately the implementation of non-animal approaches worldwide. Recent initiatives undertaken at European level to promote the 3Rs and the use of alternative methods in current regulatory practice are also discussed.


1993 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1017-1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ih Chu ◽  
Peter Toft

The rabbit eye irritation test based on the Draize method is required for the hazard assessment of chemicals and products that may come into contact with the eye. Due to the potential for the suffering of animals and subjectivity of the test, many modifications of the method have been made that involved a reduction in the number of animals and a refinement of techniques. Additionally, there has been significant development of in vitro alternatives. This paper reviews recent advances in the in vivo test and in vitro alternatives, as well as regulatory requirements. While the refinement of in vivo protocols has resulted in a reduction in the number and discomfort on animals, the development of in vitro alternatives could lead to an eventual replacement of animal studies. In view of the inherent simplicity of many in vitro methods, some of which comprise cell cultures, further research into the relevance/mechanism of effects is required. Batteries of in vitro tests, when properly validated, may be considered as replacements for animal testing.


Author(s):  
Shangfei Wei ◽  
Tianming Zhao ◽  
Jie Wang ◽  
Xin Zhai

: Allostery is an efficient and particular regulatory mechanism to regulate protein functions. Different from conserved orthosteric sites, allosteric sites have distinctive functional mechanism to form the complex regulatory network. In drug discovery, kinase inhibitors targeting the allosteric pockets have received extensive attention for the advantages of high selectivity and low toxicity. The approval of trametinib as the first allosteric inhibitor validated that allosteric inhibitors could be used as effective therapeutic drugs for treatment of diseases. To date, a wide range of allosteric inhibitors have been identified. In this perspective, we outline different binding modes and potential advantages of allosteric inhibitors. In the meantime, the research processes of typical and novel allosteric inhibitors are described briefly in terms of structureactivity relationships, ligand-protein interactions and in vitro and in vivo activity. Additionally, challenges as well as opportunities are presented.


1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 629-634
Author(s):  
Emiliana Falcone ◽  
Edoardo Vignolo ◽  
Livia Di Trani ◽  
Simona Puzelli ◽  
Maria Tollis

A reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay specific for identifying avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in poultry vaccines, and the serological response to IBV induced by the inoculation of chicks with a Newcastle disease vaccine spiked with the Massachusetts strain of IBV, were compared for their ability to detect IBV as a contaminant of avian vaccines. The sensitivity of the IBV-RT-PCR assay provided results which were at least equivalent to the biological effect produced by the inoculation of chicks, allowing this assay to be considered a valid alternative to animal testing in the quality control of avian immunologicals. This procedure can easily be adapted to detect a number of contaminants for which the in vivo test still represents the only available method of detection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olanrewaju Ayodeji Durojaye ◽  
Nkwachukwu Oziamara Okoro ◽  
Arome Solomon Odiba

Abstract Background The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is currently a global threat to health and economies. Therapeutics and vaccines are in rapid development; however, none of these therapeutics are considered as absolute cure, and the potential to mutate makes it necessary to find therapeutics that target a highly conserved regions of the viral structure. Results In this study, we characterized an essential but poorly understood coronavirus accessory X4 protein, a core and stable component of the SARS-CoV family. Sequence analysis shows a conserved ~ 90% identity between the SARS-CoV-2 and previously characterized X4 protein in the database. QMEAN Z score of the model protein shows a value of around 0.5, within the acceptable range 0–1. A MolProbity score of 2.96 was obtained for the model protein and indicates a good quality model. The model has Ramachandran values of φ = − 57o and ψ = − 47o for α-helices and values of φ = − 130o and ψ = + 140o for twisted sheets. Conclusions The protein data obtained from this study provides robust information for further in vitro and in vivo experiment, targeted at devising therapeutics against the virus. Phylogenetic analysis further supports previous evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 is positioned with the SL-CoVZC45, BtRs-BetaCoV/YN2018B and the RS4231 Bat SARS-like corona viruses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-361
Author(s):  
Napoleon-Nikolaos Vrettos ◽  
Peng Wang ◽  
Yan Zhou ◽  
Clive J. Roberts ◽  
Jinyi Xu ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 559-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Xu ◽  
Feng Zhi ◽  
Guangming Xu ◽  
Xiaolei Tang ◽  
Sheng Lu ◽  
...  

MDR (multidrug-resistance) represents a major obstacle to successful cancer chemotherapy and is usually accomplished by overexpression of P-gp (P-glycoprotein). Much effort has been devoted to developing P-gp inhibitors to modulate MDR. However, none of the inhibitors on the market have been successful. 1416 [1-(2,6-dimethylphenoxy)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamino)propane hydrochloride (phenoprolamine hydrochloride)] is a new VER (verapamil) analogue with a higher IC50 for blocking calcium channel currents than VER. In the present paper, we examined the inhibition effect of 1416 on P-gp both in vitro and in vivo. 1416 significantly enhanced cytotoxicity of VBL (vinblastine) in P-gp-overexpressed human multidrug-resistant K562/ADM (adriamycin) and KBV cells, but had no such effect on the parent K562 and KB cells. The MDR-modulating function of 1416 was further confirmed by increasing intracellular Rh123 (rhodanmine123) content in MDR cells. Human K562/ADM xenograft-nude mice model verified that 1416 potentiates the antitumour activity of VBL in vivo. RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-PCR) and FACS analysis demonstrated that the expression of MDR1/P-gp was not affected by 1416 treatment. All these observations suggest that 1416 could be a promising agent for overcoming MDR in cancer chemotherapy.


2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 606-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur L. Nikkel ◽  
Brenda Martino ◽  
Stella Markosyan ◽  
Jill-Desiree Brederson ◽  
Rodrigo Medeiros ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 1341-1343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan P. Wiederhold ◽  
Laura K. Najvar ◽  
Annette W. Fothergill ◽  
Rosie Bocanegra ◽  
Marcos Olivo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWe evaluated thein vitroandin vivoactivities of the investigational arylamidine T-2307 against echinocandin-resistantCandida albicans. T-2307 demonstrated potentin vitroactivity, and daily subcutaneous doses between 0.75 and 6 mg/kg of body weight significantly improved survival and reduced fungal burden compared to placebo control and caspofungin (10 mg/kg/day) in mice with invasive candidiasis caused by an echinocandin-resistant strain. Thus, T-2307 may have potential use in the treatment of echinocandin-resistantC. albicansinfections.


2008 ◽  
Vol 205 (7) ◽  
pp. 1551-1557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy S. Ma ◽  
Gary Y.J. Chew ◽  
Nicholas Simpson ◽  
Archana Priyadarshi ◽  
Melanie Wong ◽  
...  

Hyper–immunoglobulin E syndrome (HIES) is a primary immune deficiency characterized by abnormal and devastating susceptibility to a narrow spectrum of infections, most commonly Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Recent investigations have identified mutations in STAT3 in the majority of HIES patients studied. Despite the identification of the genetic cause of HIES, the mechanisms underlying the pathological features of this disease remain to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate a failure of CD4+ T cells harboring heterozygous STAT3 mutations to generate interleukin 17–secreting (i.e., T helper [Th]17) cells in vivo and in vitro due to a failure to express sufficient levels of the Th17-specific transcriptional regulator retinoid-related orphan receptor γt. Because Th17 cells are enriched for cells with specificities against fungal antigens, our results may explain the pattern of infection susceptibility characteristic of patients with HIES. Furthermore, they underscore the importance of Th17 responses in normal host defense against the common pathogens S. aureus and C. albicans.


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