title: The popliteal lymph node assay: results of a preliminary interlaboratory validation study.
abstract: The popliteal lymph node (PLN) assay was proposed to predict possible autoimmune effects of xenobiotics. A preliminary interlaboratory validation study of the PLN assay was conducted in Wistar rats. Three laboratories tested in blind fashion four compounds, namely chlorpromazine, zimeldine, hydrazine and streptozotocin, which were reported to cause autoimmune-like reactions in humans, and one compound, i.e. barbital, which was not, using strictly the same experimental procedure. All tested substances were injected into the hind footpad of rats on day 1, and PLN weight and cellularity were measured on day 8. Comparison of the controlateral PLN was used to calculate weight and cellularity indices. The results were independently analyzed in a fourth laboratory. All four positive compounds were detected by the three laboratories using both weight and cellularity indices, and the negative compound consistently proved negative. Despite variations in absolute values between laboratories, although not significant, these results provide further evidence of the potential predictive value of the PLN assay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, INSERM U80, Faculty of Medicine Lyon-RTH Laënnec, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vial
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carleer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Legrain
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verdier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Descotes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D001462:Barbital / Q000633:toxicity; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000633:toxicity; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000633:toxicity; D006614:Hindlimb; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000633:toxicity; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000633:toxicity; D015031:Zimeldine / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001462:Barbital; D002746:Chlorpromazine; D018757:GABA Modulators; D006834:Hydrazines; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D013311:Streptozocin; D015031:Zimeldine; C029424:hydrazine