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Here - Stiftung Forschung 3R

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Marker Discovery &<br />

Their Functional Role in the<br />

Adverse Outcome Pathway<br />

for Skin Sensitisation<br />

Nathalie Lambrechts, Jef Hooyberghs, Rosette Van Den Heuvel, Greet<br />

Schoeters<br />

Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) Centre for Advanced<br />

Research & Development on Alternative Methods (CARDAM)<br />

Research Unit Environmental Risk & Health<br />

Boeretang 200<br />

BE-2400 Mol, Belgium<br />

greet.schoeters@vito.be<br />

Website: cardam.eu<br />

Background & Objectives<br />

European legislation and animal welfare organisations have stimulated research to<br />

develop non-animal toxicity tests. Assays for identifying skin sensitisers are highly<br />

warranted since all chemicals with annual production volumes above 1 tonne should<br />

be tested for this endpoint (Schoeters, 2010). VITO-CARDAM is involved in evaluating<br />

adverse health effects of chemicals in relation to allergies. As such, over the years, an<br />

assay has been developed with the intention to mimic as closely as possible the human<br />

response to skin sensitisers. The assay is based on primary cells of human origin.<br />

CD34+ progenitor cells are isolated from human cord blood and differentiated in vitro to<br />

dendritic cells (DC), which exhibit characteristics of the professional antigen-presenting<br />

cells of the skin (De Smedt et al., 2001). DC are recognised as cellular players in the<br />

induction phase of sensitisation and are main actors in the adaptive immune response<br />

cascade (Steinman, 2001). Our in vitro research focused on understanding the cellular<br />

and molecular changes in DC after exposure to chemical sensitisers. This mechanistic<br />

approach is much in line with the National Research Council (NRC) vision for chemical<br />

safety assessment, which highlights the need of alternative tests for cellular responses<br />

and toxicity pathways with a key function in the development of adverse health effects<br />

in humans (Collins et al., 2008).<br />

AXLR8-2 WORKSHOP REPORT<br />

Progress Report 2011 & AXLR8-2 Workshop Report<br />

279

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