title: Fluorescence-based assay as a new screening tool for toxic chemicals.
abstract: Our study involves development of fluorescent cell-based diagnostic assay as a new approach in high-throughput screening method. This highly sensitive optical assay operates similarly to e-noses and e-tongues which combine semi-specific sensors and multivariate data analysis for monitoring biochemical processes. The optical assay consists of a mixture of environmental-sensitive fluorescent dyes and human skin cells that generate fluorescence spectra patterns distinctive for particular physico-chemical and physiological conditions. Using chemometric techniques the optical signal is processed providing qualitative information about analytical characteristics of the samples. This integrated approach has been successfully applied (with sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 97%) in assessing whether particular chemical agents are irritating or not for human skin. It has several advantages compared with traditional biochemical or biological assays and can impact the new way of high-throughput screening and understanding cell activity. It also can provide reliable and reproducible method for assessing a risk of exposing people to different harmful substances, identification active compounds in toxicity screening and safety assessment of drugs, cosmetic or their specific ingredients.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Ambiental, Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moczko
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Evgeny M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Mirkes
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cáceres
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Alexander N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Gorban
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piletsky