scholarly journals Model Selection in Toxicology: Principles and Practice

1990 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shayne C. Gad

The key assumptions underlying modern toxicology are that (1) animals can serve as accurate predictive models of toxicity in humans, (2) that selection of an appropriate model to use is the key to accurate prediction in humans, and (3) that understanding the strengths and weaknesses of any particular model is essential to understanding the relevance of specific findings to humans. It must first be made clear, however, that the term model encompasses more than a test organism. Then the basic principles underlying these assumptions and the general limitations of models (both in vivo and in vitro) can be critically examined. The actual practice of model selection and why it deviates from the generally accepted principles are overviewed, along with the issue of errors induced by the “high-class model” problem. Historical results as to the accuracy of prediction of human effects are summarized. Finally, the reasons that models fail to predict effects in humans in some cases are examined, along with methods and problems in cross-species extrapolation and the issue of species peculiarities.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merricka C. Livingstone ◽  
Alexis A. Bitzer ◽  
Alish Giri ◽  
Kun Luo ◽  
Rajeshwer S. Sankhala ◽  
...  

AbstractPlasmodium falciparum malaria contributes to a significant global disease burden. Circumsporozoite protein (CSP), the most abundant sporozoite stage antigen, is a prime vaccine candidate. Inhibitory monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CSP map to either a short junctional sequence or the central (NPNA)n repeat region. We compared in vitro and in vivo activities of six CSP-specific mAbs derived from human recipients of a recombinant CSP vaccine RTS,S/AS01 (mAbs 317 and 311); an irradiated whole sporozoite vaccine PfSPZ (mAbs CIS43 and MGG4); or individuals exposed to malaria (mAbs 580 and 663). RTS,S mAb 317 that specifically binds the (NPNA)n epitope, had the highest affinity and it elicited the best sterile protection in mice. The most potent inhibitor of sporozoite invasion in vitro was mAb CIS43 which shows dual-specific binding to the junctional sequence and (NPNA)n. In vivo mouse protection was associated with the mAb reactivity to the NANPx6 peptide, the in vitro inhibition of sporozoite invasion activity, and kinetic parameters measured using intact mAbs or their Fab fragments. Buried surface area between mAb and its target epitope was also associated with in vivo protection. Association and disconnects between in vitro and in vivo readouts has important implications for the design and down-selection of the next generation of CSP based interventions.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4221
Author(s):  
Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup ◽  
Svend Borup Jensen ◽  
Ole Lerberg Nielsen ◽  
Lars Jødal ◽  
Pia Afzelius

The development of new and better radioactive tracers capable of detecting and characterizing osteomyelitis is an ongoing process, mainly because available tracers lack selectivity towards osteomyelitis. An integrated part of developing new tracers is the performance of in vivo tests using appropriate animal models. The available animal models for osteomyelitis are also far from ideal. Therefore, developing improved animal osteomyelitis models is as important as developing new radioactive tracers. We recently published a review on radioactive tracers. In this review, we only present and discuss osteomyelitis models. Three ethical aspects (3R) are essential when exposing experimental animals to infections. Thus, we should perform experiments in vitro rather than in vivo (Replacement), use as few animals as possible (Reduction), and impose as little pain on the animal as possible (Refinement). The gain for humans should by far exceed the disadvantages for the individual experimental animal. To this end, the translational value of animal experiments is crucial. We therefore need a robust and well-characterized animal model to evaluate new osteomyelitis tracers to be sure that unpredicted variation in the animal model does not lead to a misinterpretation of the tracer behavior. In this review, we focus on how the development of radioactive tracers relies heavily on the selection of a reliable animal model, and we base the discussions on our own experience with a porcine model.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Montanucci ◽  
Silvia Terenzi ◽  
Claudio Santi ◽  
Ilaria Pennoni ◽  
Vittorio Bini ◽  
...  

Alginate-based microencapsulation of live cells may offer the opportunity to treat chronic and degenerative disorders. So far, a thorough assessment of physical-chemical behavior of alginate-based microbeads remains cloudy. A disputed issue is which divalent cation to choose for a high performing alginate gelling process. Having selected, in our system, high mannuronic (M) enriched alginates, we studied different gelling cations and their combinations to determine their eventual influence on physical-chemical properties of the final microcapsules preparation,in vitroandin vivo. We have shown that used of ultrapure alginate allows for high biocompatibility of the formed microcapsules, regardless of gelation agents, while use of different gelling cations is associated with corresponding variable effects on the capsules’ basic architecture, as originally reported in this work. However, only the final application which the capsules are destined to will ultimately guide the selection of the ideal, specific gelling divalent cations, since in principle there are no capsules that are better than others.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 287
Author(s):  
Daniela Costa ◽  
Rui M. Tavares ◽  
Paula Baptista ◽  
Teresa Lino-Neto

An increase in cork oak diseases caused by Biscogniauxia mediterranea and Diplodia corticola has been reported in the last decade. Due to the high socio-economic and ecologic importance of this plant species in the Mediterranean Basin, the search for preventive or treatment measures to control these diseases is an urgent need. Fungal endophytes were recovered from cork oak trees with different disease severity levels, using culture-dependent methods. The results showed a higher number of potential pathogens than beneficial fungi such as cork oak endophytes, even in healthy plants. The antagonist potential of a selection of eight cork oak fungal endophytes was tested against B. mediterranea and D. corticola by dual-plate assays. The tested endophytes were more efficient in inhibiting D. corticola than B. mediterranea growth, but Simplicillium aogashimaense, Fimetariella rabenhorstii, Chaetomium sp. and Alternaria alternata revealed a high potential to inhibit the growth of both. Simplicillium aogashimaense caused macroscopic and microscopic mycelial/hyphal deformations and presented promising results in controlling both phytopathogens’ growth in vitro. The evaluation of the antagonistic potential of non-volatile and volatile compounds also revealed that A. alternata compounds could be further explored for inhibiting both pathogens. These findings provide valuable knowledge that can be further explored in in vivo assays to find a suitable biocontrol agent for these cork oak diseases.


1994 ◽  
Vol 179 (4) ◽  
pp. 1273-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Manetti ◽  
F Gerosa ◽  
M G Giudizi ◽  
R Biagiotti ◽  
P Parronchi ◽  
...  

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) facilitates the generation of a T helper type 1 (Th1) response, with high interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production, while inhibiting the generation of IL-4-producing Th2 cells in polyclonal cultures of both human and murine T cells and in vivo in the mouse. In this study, we analyzed the effect of IL-12, present during cloning of human T cells, on the cytokine profile of the clones. The culture system used allows growth of clones from virtually every T cell, and thus excludes the possibility that selection of precommitted Th cell precursors plays a role in determining characteristics of the clones. IL-12 present during the cloning procedures endowed both CD4+ and CD8+ clones with the ability to produce IFN-gamma at levels severalfold higher than those observed in clones generated in the absence of IL-12. This priming was stable because the high levels of IFN-gamma production were maintained when the clones were cultured in the absence of IL-12 for 11 d. The CD4+ and some of the CD8+ clones produced variable amounts of IL-4. Unlike IFN-gamma, IL-4 production was not significantly different in clones generated in the presence or absence of IL-12. These data suggest that IL-12 primes the clone progenitors, inducing their differentiation to high IFN-gamma-producing clones. The suppression of IL-4-producing cells observed in polyclonally generated T cells in vivo and in vitro in the presence of IL-12 is not observed in this clonal model, suggesting that the suppression depends more on positive selection of non-IL-4-producing cells than on differentiation of individual clones. However, antigen-specific established Th2 clones that were unable to produce IFN-gamma with any other inducer did produce IFN-gamma at low but significant levels when stimulated with IL-12 in combination with specific antigen or insoluble anti-CD3 antibodies. This induction of IFN-gamma gene expression was transient, because culture of the established clones with IL-12 for up to 1 wk did not convert them into IFN-gamma producers when stimulated in the absence of IL-12. These results suggest that Th clones respond to IL-12 treatment either with a stable priming for IFN-gamma production or with only a transient low level expression of the IFN-gamma gene, depending on their stage of differentiation.


2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 1331-1341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. F. Troke ◽  
Marilyn Lewis ◽  
Paul Simpson ◽  
Katrina Gore ◽  
Jennifer Hammond ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTFilibuvir (PF-00868554) is an investigational nonnucleoside inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5B (NS5B) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase currently in development for treating chronic HCV infection. The aim of this study was to characterize the selection of filibuvir-resistant variants in HCV-infected individuals receiving filibuvir as short (3- to 10-day) monotherapy. We identified amino acid M423 as the primary site of mutation arising upon filibuvir dosing. Through bulk cloning of clinical NS5B sequences into a transient-replicon system, and supported by site-directed mutagenesis of the Con1 replicon, we confirmed that mutations M423I/T/V mediate phenotypic resistance. Selection in patients of an NS5B mutation at M423 was associated with a reduced replicative capacityin vitrorelative to the pretherapy sequence; consistent with this, reversion to wild-type M423 was observed in the majority of patients following therapy cessation. Mutations at NS5B residues R422 and M426 were detected in a small number of patients at baseline or the end of therapy and also mediate reductions in filibuvir susceptibility, suggesting these are rare but clinically relevant alternative resistance pathways. Amino acid variants at position M423 in HCV NS5B polymerase are the preferred pathway for selection of viral resistance to filibuvirin vivo.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 1140-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia Elias Haddad ◽  
Luis Garrigós Leite ◽  
Cleusa Maria Mantovanello Lucon ◽  
Ricardo Harakava

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate, in vitro and in vivo, the potential of Trichoderma spp. strains to control Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soybeans (Glycine max) and to perform the molecular identification of the best perfoming strains. The effect of 120 strains of Trichoderma spp. on the viability of S. sclerotiorum sclerotia was evaluated in vitro through immersion in suspension of conidia from the antagonists and plating in culture medium. The best performing strains were evaluated in vivo, in a greenhouse, for control of the pathogen inoculated on 'Pintado' soybean seeds and plants. Of the 120 strains tested in vitro, 22 strains of Trichoderma spp. caused 100% inhibition of sclerotia germination. In the greenhouse, five strains inhibited the negative effect of the pathogen on seed germination and two strains increased in up to 67% plant dry matter. The best performing strains were identified as T. koningiopsis (3 strains), T. asperelloides (3), T. atroviride (2), and T. virens (1). Trichoderma strains are able to protect soybean plants from the harmful effect of S. sclerotiorum and, at the same time, they can promote the growth of the aerial part in greenhouse conditions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 83-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Vinderola ◽  
Miguel Gueimonde ◽  
Carlos Gomez-Gallego ◽  
Lucrecia Delfederico ◽  
Seppo Salminen
Keyword(s):  

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poh Kuan Wong ◽  
Fook Choe Cheah ◽  
Saiful Effendi Syafruddin ◽  
M. Aiman Mohtar ◽  
Norazrina Azmi ◽  
...  

Hereditary or developmental neurological disorders (HNDs or DNDs) affect the quality of life and contribute to the high mortality rates among neonates. Most HNDs are incurable, and the search for new and effective treatments is hampered by challenges peculiar to the human brain, which is guarded by the near-impervious blood-brain barrier. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR), a gene-editing tool repurposed from bacterial defense systems against viruses, has been touted by some as a panacea for genetic diseases. CRISPR has expedited the research into HNDs, enabling the generation of in vitro and in vivo models to simulate the changes in human physiology caused by genetic variation. In this review, we describe the basic principles and workings of CRISPR and the modifications that have been made to broaden its applications. Then, we review important CRISPR-based studies that have opened new doors to the treatment of HNDs such as fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome. We also discuss how CRISPR can be used to generate research models to examine the effects of genetic variation and caffeine therapy on the developing brain. Several drawbacks of CRISPR may preclude its use at the clinics, particularly the vulnerability of neuronal cells to the adverse effect of gene editing, and the inefficiency of CRISPR delivery into the brain. In concluding the review, we offer some suggestions for enhancing the gene-editing efficacy of CRISPR and how it may be morphed into safe and effective therapy for HNDs and other brain disorders.


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