Risk Assessment of Endocrine Disruptors Using Gene Analysis

摘要

Endocrine disruptors such as dioxins are a serious problem due to the damage they cause to human health. As endocrine disruptors have many actions, various organs are known to be affected. This means that advanced assessment not based solely on estrogenic disorder is required. For screening endocrine disruptors, a technique is desired that can extensively evaluate toxicity and enable highthroughput examinations. Toshiba has developed a high-throughput screening system for endocrine disruptors based on a genetic analysis technology. This system can be used for the assessment of neurotoxicity. Features of the system are (1) in vitro assays using cultured neuroblastomas, and (2) the detection of marker gene expressions, such as TIA-1, as a toxicity indicator.