• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.355-380
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• 2024

In this paper, we compare the performance of graph-based deep learning models using OECD test guideline (TG) data. OECD TG are a unique tool for assessing the potential effects of chemicals on health and environment. but many guidelines include animal testing. Animal testing is time-consuming and expensive, and has ethical issues, so methods to find or minimize alternatives are being studied. Deep learning is used in various fields using chemicals including toxicity prediciton, and research on graph-based models is particularly active. Our goal is to compare the performance of graph-based deep learning models on OECD TG data to find the best performance model on there. We collected the results of OECD TG from the website eChemportal.org operated by the OECD, and chemicals that were impossible or inappropriate to learn were removed through pre-processing. The toxicity prediction performance of five graph-based models was compared using the collected OECD TG data and MoleculeNet data, a benchmark dataset for predicting chemical properties.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2001

The OECD acute toxicity guideline has been revised recently to protect animal welfare. The GLP authority of the Ministry of Environment, the National Institute for Environmental Research, recommended GLP laboratories in Korea to ufo the revised acute toxicity guideline. This study was carried out to optimize newly adopted OECD test guideline 420 (TG 420). Bisphenol A was selected for test chemical. Following TG420, Bisphenol A was classified as class 5/unclassified group. The revised TG 420 was very effective test in minimizing animal number and classifying chemicals. The method, however had short-coming in evaluation of test results statistically because the test had no control group, and the test should be stopped when animals were dead at the lowest dose or alive at the highest dose. TG 420 required at Least 20 animals to complete the test, but it could result in producing unused animals that need to sacrifice.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.203-213
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• 2001

We investigated the toxic effects of propylthiouracil (PTU) In Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats to develop and validate an enhanced Protocol for Test Guideline 407 as OECD Project. Twenty male and female SD rats,7 weeks old, were treated with PTU in corn oil at levels of 0, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks orally. Clinical observation, body weight changes, food uptake, water consumption, urinalysis, estrus cycle and sperm analysis, serum chemist교, autopsy findings and histopathological findings were evaluated in this study. No clinical signs and mortality were observed in the study. The body weights and food uptakes in the group treated with 10 mg/kg/day were reduced from 3 weeks after the initiation of the treatment. The levels of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4, 3,5,3',5'-tetraiodothyrosine) were also significantly decreased in the group treated with 10 mg/kg/day. Also, the relative and absolute organ weights of thymuses were decreased. Thyroid glands of rats in the group treated with PTU 10 mg/kg/day were bigger than those of rats in the control group. In the histopathological examination, diffuse hyperplasia and hypertrophy of thyroid follicular cells were observed in all treatment groups, leading to the reduction of lumen size and papillary enfolding of lining epithelium. The degree of lesion was increased in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggested that PTU would cause toxicity in thyroid gland and decrease the levels of T3 and T4 in SD rats. However there were no effects on the other organ including testis and uterus especially in spermatogenesis and estrus cycle. On the basis of the results, enhanced protocol for Test Guideline (TG) 407 may be sensitive and reliable to detect endocrine-active substances like PTU.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.181-184
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• 2011

Screening of estrogenic activity on dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), dichloro diphenyl dichloro ethylene (DDE), dieldrin, heptachlor, aldrin, chlordane, lindane, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and parabens was compared using Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guideline 455 (TG455). The estrogenic activity of DDT was 58,000-fold ($PC_{50}$, $1.67{\times}10^{-6}$ M) less than $17{\beta}$-estradiol($E_2$) ($PC_{50}$, $2.88{\times}10^{-11}$ M) but DDE, dieldrin, heptachlor, aldrin, chlordane, lindane and PBDE did not show any estrogenic activity in this assay system. In the case of paraben compounds, the rank of relative transcriptional activation (logRTA) was butyl paraben -1.63752 ($PC_{50}$, $1.25{\times}10^{-7}$ M) > isobutyl paraben -2.34008 ($PC_{50}$, $6.3{\times}10^{-7}$ M) > ethyl paraben -2.64016 ($PC_{50}$, $1.26{\times}10^{-6}$ M) > isopropyl paraben -2.73993 ($PC_{50}$, $1.58{\times}10^{-6}$ M) > propyl paraben -2.84164 ($PC_{50}$, $2.0{\times}10^{-6}$ M). Our data suggest that OECD test guideline TG455 may be useful as a screening tool for potential endocrine disruptors.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.258-268
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• 2014

The test method of aerobic transformation in soil has established based on international test guideline (OECD TG 307). And then, the case study was conducted with [$^{14}C$]butachlor. Butachlor is commonly used herbicide in Korea. [$^{14}C$]Butachlor was treatrd $6.83mgKg^{-1}$ in loamy soil. The treated soil was incubated in flow-through system for 60 days. The mass balance of applied radioactivity (AR) ranged from 91.1 to 95.5% and from 93.0% to 97.7% for non-sterile and sterile soils, respectively. In non-sterile soil, the concentration of [$^{14}C$]butachlor was declined from 94.4% AR at 0 day to 8.4% AR at 60 days after treatment. 2-Chloro-2',6'-diethylacetanilide was the major degradation product detected in soil extract. The calculated $DT_{50}$ and $DT_{90}$ of butachlor were 10.4 days and 34.6 days, respectively. $^{14}CO_2$ and non-extractable soil residue were increased up to 3.5% and 43.5% AR at 60 DAT. There is no significant decrease of the [$^{14}C$]butachlor through the incubation period in sterile soil.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.385-389
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• 2023

Background: Ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine for treatment of many diseases and for general health maintenance. Previously, we showed that ginseng did not demonstrate estrogenic property in ovariectomized mouse model. However, it is still possible that disruption of steroidogenesis leading to indirect hormonal activity. Methods: The hormonal activities were examined in compliance with OECD guidelines for detecting endocrine disrupting chemicals: test guideline (TG) No. 456 (an in vitro assay method for detecting steroidogenesis property) and TG No. 440 (an in vivo short-term screening method for chemicals with uterotrophic property). Results: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) and ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, and Rg3 did not interfere with estrogen and testosterone hormone synthesis as examined in H295 cells according to TG 456. KRG treatment to ovariectomized mice did not show a significant change in uterine weight. In addition, serum estrogen and testosterone levels were not change by KRG intake. Conclusion: These results clearly demonstrate that there is no steroidogenic activity associated with KRG and no disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by KRG. Additional tests will be performed in pursuit of cellular molecular targets of ginseng to manifest mode of action.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.257-268
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• 2021

Phthalates and their metabolites are well-known endocrine disrupting chemicals. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been widely used in industry and the exposing possibility to adult is high. In this study, DEHP was treated (133 ㎍/L and 1,330 ㎍/L in drinking water) according to the OECD test guideline 443 to mature female mice and their adrenal gland were examined for histological characteristics and steroidogenic gene expression. The wet weight of the adrenal gland was increased in all administrated groups compared to control. The diameter of zona fasciculata (ZF) was increased by DEHP in both outer ZF and inner ZF but there was no difference in morphology of the cells and arrangements into zona between groups. In addition, the arrangement of extracellular matrix was not different between control and DEHP groups. CYP11B1 was mainly localized at ZF and the intensity was not different between groups. DAX1 was localized in zona glomerulosa (ZG) and ZF, and its expression levels were decreased by DEHP administration. Its level was lower in DEHP133 group than DEHP1330 group. On the other hand, CYP17A1 was localized in ZG of DEHP1330 group. These results suggest that chronic low-dose DEHP exposing may modify the microstructure and function of the adrenal cortical cortex.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: in vitro micronucleus test (vitMNT) is one of the promising alternative testing methods in genotoxicity test and was adopted as OECD test guideline for chemical registration. This study was conducted to optimize the cytoplasm conditions in vitMNT using Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cell. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study cytokinesis-block micronucleus test was conducted. Mitomycin C and colchicine were used as positive control chemicals and were treated for three hours (short time) or twenty-four hours (long time). Giemsa solution was used for cell staining. For optimization of vitMNT, the final fixative was prepared as five concentrations (0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 25%) of acetic acid in methanol, and treatment times of the final fixative were varied under four conditions (immediately, one hour, four hours, and one day). CONCLUSION: Acetic acid at 1% in methanol as the final fixative was most adequate to preserve the cytoplasm around the nucleus in the interphase cells. Also, fixative treatment time of cell suspension for one to four hours may minimize the cell rupture. These results can be helpful for getting an accurate result promptly due to clear visual distinction to score micronucleus in vitMNT using giemsa solution.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.174-184
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• 2015

In the present study, the metabolism of [$^{14}C$]butachlor was investigated in rice plant according to the OECD test guideline No. 501. [$^{14}C$]Butachlor was treated as granule to paddy water by application of 1.5 kg ingredient (a.i.)/ha at the 3~4 leave stage of rice plant. At 85 days after treatment (DAT), samples of panicle, foliage, and roots were taken for radioactivity analysis. Upon harvest at 126 DAT, rice plants were separated into brown rice, husk, straw, and root parts. Amounts of total radioactivity absorbed by rice plant ranged from 8.6 to 9.8% of applied radioactivity (AR). Total radioactive residues (TRRs) of rice plant at 126 DAT was the highest as 4.0421 mg/kg (7.3% AR) in the straw followed by 1.4595 mg/kg (2.4% AR) in the root, 0.7257 mg/kg (0.1% AR) in the husk. The lowest level recording 0.1020 mg/kg (0.1% AR) was found in brown rice. Each part was extracted with various solvents and solvent/water mixtures. Greater than 70% of TRRs was readily extractable from foliage, panicle, husk and straw. Only 34.0% of the brown rice and 43% of root based on TRRs were extractable showing that the residues were completely assimilated in the plant tissue. The level of non-extractable radioactivity was ranged from 26.2 to 66.0% of TRRs. From this study, five tentative major metabolites (M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5) were observed in rice extracts. Among the metabolites, 2,6-diethylaniline assigned as M4 was identified in rice plant by comparing to retention time of reference standard. Un-metabolized butachlor was not detected in any fractions. In soil extracts, N-(butoxymethyl)-N-(2,6-diethyl phenyl)acetamide, 2,6-diethylaniline, M2, M3 and M5 were observed. And the concentration of butachlor was low level (ca. 0.03 mg/kg).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2017

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) consists of highly effective prescription medications for treating menopausal symptoms; however, these agents have exhibited side effects including the risk of estrogen-induced carcinogenesis. Therefore, interest in phytotherapy-based materials as a natural source of alternatives to estrogen therapy has increased. However, some of these herbal medicines have been reported to increase the risk of estrogen-induced cancer. Herbal formulations composed of a combination of Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley (CW), Phlomis umbrosa Turczaninow (PU), and Angelica gigas Nakai (AG) extracts (CPAE) have been used for treating menopausal symptoms. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine the safety of CPAE by determining its potential adverse estrogenic activity using the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guideline 455 (TG455) in a stably transfected transcriptionally activated human estrogen receptor ${\alpha}$ ($hER{\alpha}$)-HeLa9903 cell model. We found that CPAE did not how any estrogenic activity or stimulate promoters containing estrogen response elements in MCF-7 cells. In addition, CPAE showed no significant selective activity against $hER{\alpha}$ and $hER{\beta}$, non-selective activity against the ER, or effects on ER target gene expression. Furthermore, CPAE did not significantly induce MCF-7 cell proliferation and uterine weight increase in ovariectomized rats. These results demonstrate that CPAE can be used as beneficial herbal drug for prevention and therapeutic intervention of estrogen carcinogenesis in menopausal women.