• Toxicological Research
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.343-351
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• 2019

Many in vitro developmental toxicity assays have been proposed over several decades. Since the late 1980s, we have made intermittent attempts to introduce in vitro assays as screening tests for developmental toxicity of inhouse candidate products. Two cell-based assays which were developed two decades apart were intensively studied. One was an assay of inhibitory effects on mouse ascites tumor cell attachment to a concanavalin A-coated plastic sheet surface (MOT assay), which we studied in the early days of assay development. The other was an assay of inhibitory effects on the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cell to beating heart cells (EST assay), which we assessed more recently. We evaluated the suitability of the assays for screening in-house candidates. The concordance rates with in vivo developmental toxicity were at the 60% level. The EST assay classified chemicals that inhibited cell proliferation as embryo-toxic. Both assays had a significant false positive rate. The assays were generally considered unsuitable for screening the developmental toxicity of our candidate compounds. Recent test systems adopt advanced technologies. Despite such evolution of materials and methods, the concordance rates of the EST and MOT systems were similar. This may suggest that the fundamental predictivity of in vitro developmental toxicity assays has remained basically unchanged for decades. To improve their predictivity, in vitro developmental toxicity assays should be strictly based on elucidated pathogenetic mechanisms of developmental toxicity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.94-98
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• 2001

Type I signal peptidase cleaves the signal sequence from the amino terminus of membrane and secreted proteins afters these protein insert across the membrane. This enzyme serves as a potential target for the development of novel antibacterial agents due to its unique physiological and biochemical properties. Despite considerable research, the signal peptidase assay still remains improvement to provide further understanding of the mechanism and high-throughput inhibitor screening of this enzyme. In this paper, three known signal peptidase assays are tested with an E. coli D276A mutant signal peptidase to distinguish the sensitivity of each assays. In vitro assay using the procoat synthesized by in vitro transcription translation shows that the D276A signal peptidase I was inactive while in vivo processing of pro-OmpA expressed in the temperature-sensitive E. coli strain IT41 as well as in vitro assay using pro-OmpA nuclease A substrate show that D276A signal peptidase I has activity like wild-type signal peptidase. These results suggest that in vitro assay using the pro-OmpA nuclease A and in vivo pro-OmpA processing assay are more sensitive monitors than in vitro assay using the pro-coat. In conculsion, caution should be used when interpreting the in vitro results using the procoat.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.371-374
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• 1996

Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of time intervals between collecting and use of cattle faeces as a source of micro-organisms in in vitro digestibility assays of forages. The results suggested that temperature conservation capacity by faeces depended on the size of the sample. There was no significant difference(p>0.05) between the first (T1 or 08:30 h) and second using time (T2 or 10:30 h). In vitro organic matter digestibility was significantly lower when faeces was used 5 h (T3 or 13:30 h) after collection. However, the organic matter digestibility determined at the second using time (T2) and third using time (T3) were highly correlated ($R^2=0.99$) with the first using time. It was concluded that faeces can be used as a source of microorganisms for in vitro digestibility assays of forages even 5 h after being voided.

• 농약과학회지
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.37-44
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• 1999

In vivo와 in vitro 생물검정법에서의 활성관계를 조사하고 또한 보다 효율적인 in vitro 검정법을 개발하기 위하여 작용기구가 다른 두 계열 살균제 즉 sulphamide계 (dichlofluanid와 tolylfluanid)와 dicarboximide계 살균제 (iprodione, vinclozolin 및 procymidone)을 시험약제로 하여 본 실험을 수행하였다. Dichlofluanid, tolylfluanid, iprodione, vinclozolin procymidone의 토마토 유묘에서의 병 방제효과는 유사하였다. 그러나 이들 살균제에 대해 in vitro 생물검정법으로 항균활성을 비교한 결과, sulphamide계 살균제는 포자발아 억제실험에서 높은 활성을 나타낸 반면에, dicarboximide계 살균제는 균사생장 억제실험에서 항균활성이 더 우수하였다. 그러므로 in vivo 병 방제효과가 유사하더라도 작용기구가 다르면 in vitro 생물검정법에서의 항균활성은 다르게 나타남을 알 수 있었다. 또한 포자현탁액을 넣은 96-well microtiter plate에 약제를 처리하고 3시간 배양 후 배양액을 제거하고 다시 새 배지를 넣어 배양한 후 생장억제를 조사한 실험 (microtiter plate method I, MPM I)에서는 살균제들의 포자발아 억제실험과 유사한 경향의 활성을 보였다. 96-well microtiter plate에서 포자현탁액을 6시간 동안 배양하여 포자를 발아시킨 후에 약제를 처리한 실험(microtiter plate method II, MPM II)에서의 항균활성은 균사생장 억제효과와 일치하는 경향을 보였다. 따라서 기존의 in vitro 항균활성 실험보다 편리하고 효율적인 MPM I과 II 방법은 각각 포자발아와 균사생장 억제실험을 대신할 수 있으리라 생각되었다.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제40권7호
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• pp.1053-1062
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• 2011

건강한 삶에 대한 현대인의 관심이 나날이 고조되고 있으며, 이에 따라 노화와 질병의 예방에 효과가 있는 항산화제의 연구가 활발히 이루어지고 있다. 특히 천연물이나 식품을 소재로 한 식이성 항산화제에 대한 연구는 꾸준히 증가하고 있는 추세이며, 천연물의 소재나 연구 분야의 폭이 매우 넓다. 따라서 다양한 식품 소재의 항산화능을 조사할 수 있는 측정법의 중요성이 크게 부각되고 있다. 현재 약용 식물이나 상용 채소, 과일을 시료로 하여 여러 가지 radical이나 target molecule에 대한 항산화능을 측정할 수 있는 다수의 생체외(in vitro) 측정법이 사용되고 있다. 이에 본 총설에서는 널리 사용되고 있는 항산화능 측정법의 특징을 분석하고 적용 사례를 검토하였다. 식품의 구성 성분은 단일물질이 아닌 복합체로 구성되어 있으므로 하나의 측정법으로 항산화능을 평가할 수가 없다. 그러므로 채소와 과일을 포함한 여러가지 식물성 식품 추출물의 항산화 활성을 정확히 측정하기 위해서는 각 실험에 사용되는 radical과 기전(mechanism), 실험 조건(온도, pH, 실험기기, 시료추출방법, 소요 시간, 비용) 등을 고려하여 적절히 수행되어야 할 것이다. 그러나 이들 측정법의 다양성과 사용 단위의 차이로 인해 각 시료의 항산화능을 객관적으로 비교하는데 어려움이 있는 실정이다. 따라서 향후 항산화능 측정법의 표준화와 표현 단위의 통일이 절실히 요구된다. 또한 in vitro에서 항산화능을 나타내는 채소, 과일 등의 생체 내 활성은 다양한 biomechanism과 polymerphism으로 인해 그 효과를 예측하기가 매우 어렵다. 따라서 in vitro에서의 항산화능 screening 결과를 바탕으로 in vivo에서의 그 효과를 검증하는 연구가 부가적으로 시행되어야 할 것이라 사료된다.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.109-116
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• 2000

The purposes of our study were to optimize the conditions of the screening and testing methods for endocrine disruptors, to characterize these assays using several compounds with well-defined endocrine activity, and to compare the sensitivity between these assays currently undergoing validation. Two in vitro test systems, MCF-7 cells proliferation (E-screen assay) and competitive binding to estrogen receptors (ER) were selected to evaluate the estrogenic effects. 17$\beta$-Estradiol (E2) and diethylstilbestrol (DES) were used as a positive control in vitro test. Also, E2 and ethinyl estradiol (EE) were used as a positive control in vivo uterotrophic assay. In in vitro test, E2 and DES showed a strong estrogenic response at concentration of 1.0 nM. In uterotrophic assay, E2 (0.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg) and EE (0.3 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg) produced a significant increase in uterus and vagina weight in both immature and ovariectomized rats. Although we did not com-pared the specificity between in vivo and in vitro assays, these assay systems may serve as a good tool for endocrine disruptors screening methods. Our data indicate that these assay systems exhibit some difference in their sensitivity to the same estrogenic compounds. Therefore, as a first rapid screening assay for estrogenic activity qf unknown chemicals, at least two assay systems should probably be carried out with a view of high sensitivity and standardization conditions. Also, a careful validation tests are necessary to obtain a reasonable degree of reproducibility.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.106-113
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• 2006

Phthalate analogues are a plasticizer and solvent used in industry. Phthalates were classified in the category of "suspected" endocrine disruptors. The purpose of our study was to screen and elucidate the endocrine disrupting activity of seven phthalate analogues. E-screen assay was performed in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells with seven phthalate analogues. In this cell proliferation assay, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) showed high estrogenic activity. Their relative proliferation efficiencies (RPE) were 109 and 106%, respectively. In vitro estrogen receptor (ER) binding assay, BBP, di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP) and dinonyl phthalate (DNP) showed weak relative binding affinity (RBA: 0.02%) compared to $17{\beta}-estradiol\;(E2)$ (RBA: 100%). In uterotrophic assay, E2 produced a significant increase, whereas four tested phthalate analogues had potential estrogenic effects in vitro did not increased in uterus weight in immature rats. From these results, we demonstrated that phthalate analogues exhibit weak estrogenic activity in vitro assays at high concentrations. Although phthalates induced an increase in MCF-7 cell proliferation by an estrogenic effect, they could not induce a uterus weight increase in vivo. From these, we may suggest that these phthalate analogues are easily metabolized to inactive forms in vivo. Further investigation in other in vitro and in vivo experimental systems might be required.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.15-22
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• 1995

Since the turn of the century, scientists have earnestly sought to develop a single laboratory assay or combination of laboratory assays which accurately predict the fertility of a semen sample. Most of these assays have focused on evaluating physical characteristics of sperm such as motility, viability, acrosomal integrity and morphology. In recent years new approches have been used to assess the functional aspects of a sperm that are needed to reach the oocyte, fertilize it and contribute to successful embryo development. Among these techniques are the ability of sperm to undergo a heparin induced acrosome reaction and in vitro fertilization, and the affinity of sperm to bind heparin binding protein. Intensification of research efforts in the area of control of sperm fertilizing ability should be a high priority, in view of undoubted benifits both to our basic understanding of sperm fertilizing ability and to our ability to modify it for Al industry.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.51-58
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• 2009

Carrageenan is a naturally-occurring sulfated polygalactan which has been widely used in the dairy industry and a gelling agent in non-dairy products. In this study, four short-term in vitro genotoxicity assays were investigated to evaluate the potential genotoxic effects of carrageenan. The mutagenicity of carrageenan was evaluated up to a maximum dose of 5 mg/plate in Ames test. There was no increase in the number of revertant colonies compared to its negative control at any dose in all of strains tested. To assess clastogenic effect, the in vitro chromosomal aberration assay was performed using Chinese hamster lung cells. Carrageenan was not considered to be clastogenic in this assay at up to the highest feasible concentration which could be evaluated. The in vitro comet assay and micronucleus test results obtained on L5178Y cells also revealed that carrageenan has no genotoxicity potential, although there was a marginal increase in micronuclei frequencies and DNA damage in the respective micronucleus and comet assays. Taken together, our results indicate that carrageenan was not genotoxic based on four in vitro genotoxicity results.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.51-54
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• 1998

The present study investigated the use of cow faeces as a source of micro-organisms instead of sheep rumen liquor in in vitro digestibility assays of forages. Initially 40 forage samples comprising ryegrass, wheat, maize and barley were screened to select a wide range of digestibility (327-794 g/kg) of forages. Finally 8 forage samples were assessed using rumen liquor as well as faecal liquor. The absolute organic matter digestibility (OMD) values using faecal liquor were lower than those with rumen liquor. However, the relationship between OMD using rumen liquor and faecal liquor was highly significant (p < 0.001). The $R^2$ value exceed 0.90. The results suggest that micro-organisms from faecal liquor are capable of digesting forage samples.