title: Use of external metabolizing systems when testing for endocrine disruption in the T-screen assay.
abstract: Although, it is well-established that information on the metabolism of a substance is important in the evaluation of its toxic potential, there is limited experience with incorporating metabolic aspects into in vitro tests for endocrine disrupters. The aim of the current study was a) to study different in vitro systems for biotransformation of ten known endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDs): five azole fungicides, three parabens and 2 phthalates, b) to determine possible changes in the ability of the EDs to bind and activate the thyroid receptor (TR) in the in vitro T-screen assay after biotransformation and c) to investigate the endogenous metabolic capacity of the GH3 cells, the cell line used in the T-screen assay, which is a proliferation assay used for the in vitro detection of agonistic and antagonistic properties of compounds at the level of the TR. The two in vitro metabolizing systems tested the human liver S9 mix and the PCB-induced rat microsomes gave an almost complete metabolic transformation of the tested parabens and phthalates. No marked difference the effects in the T-screen assay was observed between the parent compounds and the effects of the tested metabolic extracts. The GH3 cells themselves significantly metabolized the two tested phthalates dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and diethyl phthalate (DEP). Overall the results and qualitative data from the current study show that an in vitro metabolizing system using liver S9 or microsomes could be a convenient method for the incorporation of metabolic and toxicokinetic aspects into in vitro testing for endocrine disrupting effects.
authors.affiliation: National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Department of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Søborg, Denmark. camta@food.dtu.dk
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taxvig
authors.forename: Pelle Thonning
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nellemann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001393:Azoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001681:Biological Assay; D001711:Biotransformation; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010226:Parabens / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051381:Rats; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D010226:Parabens; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone