CHEMSCREEN

CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE IN VITRO/IN SILICO SCREENING SYSTEM TO PREDICT HUMAN- AND ECOTOXICOLOGICAL EFFECTS

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The current system of risk assessment of chemicals is complex, very resource-intensive and extremely time-consuming. Because of this, there is a great need to modernize this process. However, this is not feasible without alternative, integrated testing strategies in which chemical characteristics are used to more advantage and where costly and time consuming animal tests are replaced to a large extent by more rapid, cheap and ethically less controversial methods. This is particularly needed for reproductive toxicity testing of chemicals. Reproductive toxicity is important to assess both human and environmental toxicity and uses the most animals in toxicity testing. Unfortunately, there are very few alternative methods. ChemScreen aims to fill this gap and place the tests in a more general innovative animal-free testing strategy. For this, we will generate a simple rapid screening system, which aims at widespread implementation within the tight time schedule of the REACH program. It will be a flexible tool that can be adapted and used for applications beyond the scope of REACH and in the post-REACH period. It will use in silico methods for prescreening chemicals for all relevant toxic effects. When found positive, this will be followed by further in silico and in vitro tests, most of which are available already. To fill the gap of suitable alternative methods for reproductive toxicity testing we will use a novel high throughput approach combining in silico/in vitro methods. In this approach we will combine knowledge of critical processes affected by reproductive toxicants with knowledge on the mechanistic basis of such effects. Straightforward data interpretation and decision trees will be developed in which all information on the potential toxicity of a chemical is considered. In this way we will provide a cost-effective means to generate a basic set of data on toxicological properties of chemicals and a decision tool to assess if further testing of chemicals is required.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

The current system for assessing the risks of chemicals is very complicated, time consuming and heavily reliant on in vivo testing. EU funding enabled the development of rapid, computer-based high-throughput screening for major impact.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Many industrial chemicals in common use have not undergone toxicological testing or been classified regarding safety. In response to the pressing need to develop alternative testing methodologies to rapidly classify current and future chemicals, the EU-funded project http://www.chemscreen.eu/ (CHEMSCREEN) was launched by nine partners from five European countries.

With a focus on non-animal based reproductive toxins, the team produced a simple and rapid in silico (computer-based) screening tool to meet the time schedule of the European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Exploiting the power of computing enables a rapid preliminary screening of molecular and chemical structures in new formulations that are compared to known toxins. According to the types of likely toxic effects, genotoxic or carcinogenic for example, subsequent in silico and in vitro testing are used to further classify the materials.

CHEMSCREEN developed a high-throughput screening assay for reproductive toxicity that identifies increasingly present endocrine active compounds, also known as endocrine disruptors, with 100% accuracy. The assay also identifies chemicals causing deformities in reproductive organs with 87% accuracy. The testing platform enables identification of potential reproductive and developmental toxins prior to in vivo testing for more effective and efficient (reduced) use of animal testing. Scientists have also developed methods to integrate chemical test data from in silico and in vitro analyses with reference data using a variety of databases.

With continued promotion of the in silico tools and test batteries to regulatory agencies to facilitate widespread acceptance, CHEMSCREEN scientists are on the road to achieving significant reductions in animal testing and testing costs. Rapid toxicological testing will get all chemicals in use properly evaluated and facilitate rapid classification of all new chemicals as well for the safety and well-being of EU citizens and the environment.