The sensitizing potential of chemicals is currently assessed using animal tests. This testing is not only costly but also fraught with ethical concerns and legislative challenges, particularly in Europe. Hence, the development and validation of alternative methods for evaluating skin sensitization potential is an active area of research. Such a method would allow for the replacement of animals in research, in keeping with the principles of the 3Rs.
Bruno Miguel Neves and colleagues (University of Aveiro and University of Coimbra, Portugal) recently designed an in vitro predictive test of sensitization potential based on gene expression and intracellular signaling profiles of skin-derived dendritic cells exposed to chemicals of interest. After analyzing cell-based responses to six test chemicals (four sensitizers and two nonsensitizers), they identified four genes and two signaling pathways as good predictors of sensitization potential (Chem. Res. Toxicol. 26, 368–378; 2013). They then verified the predictive accuracy of the test in a blind assay, correctly classifying 11 of 12 new chemicals. Of the 18 chemicals tested in total, the in vitro method correctly classified 17, for a concordance of 94%, a sensitivity of 92% (12 of 13 sensitizers identified) and a specificity of 100% (5 of 5 nonsensitizers identified).
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