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Fluorescence based assay for the detection of potential carcinogens in mammalian cells
Project
Project code: 0315 E
Contract period: 01.04.2009
- 30.04.2011
Budget: 166,000 Euro
Purpose of research: Basic research
Directly assaying potential carcinogens by testing for their ability to form tumors in animals is difficult, expensive and, most importantly, sacrifices hundreds of animals per active substance. In vitro genotoxicity tests allow to predict the carcinogenic risk and to reduce the number of animal experiments. However, the in vitro tests available today, suffer from several shortcomings, namely lack of sensitivity (Ames Assay), lack of specificity (assays in mammalian cells), and insufficient metabolic conversion of the compound. Since DNA recombination detects genotoxicities with high sensitivity and specificity, we developed a fluorescence-based assay for high-throughput recombination analysis in mammalian cells. In this project we will systematically evaluate the usefulness of the assay in detecting carcinogens, particularly Ames assay negative and mammalian assay false positive compounds as well as chemicals which require biotransformation by use of primary hepatocytes. Successful implementation of the new assay may help to further reduce animal experimentation in carcinogenicity testing.
Section overview
Subjects
- Biotechnology