Archive

Increased Throughput and Cryopreservation of Precision-cut Lung Slices Extend the Utility of Human-relevant, 3-Dimensional Pulmonary Test Systems

March 18, 2019
Human-relevant, in vitro/ex vivo assays are considered an ethical and economically viable manner by which to screen the thousands of chemicals requiring hazard assessment. Of the 3-dimensional models, human precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) are often considered the most physiologically relevant pulmonary test system, but lower throughput and difficulties in cryopreservation have hampered PCLS use. We have modified a tissue slicer to accommodate 3 tissue cores for simultaneous slicing. Increased slice production was quantified using agarose and tissue cores in the slicer....

Next-Generation Tobacco and Nicotine Products: Substantiating Harm Reduction and Supporting Tobacco Regulatory Science

June 21, 2018
A framework for the assessment of novel next-generation tobacco and nicotine products with the potential to reduce health risks compared with cigarettes should integrate scientific studies incorporating nonclinical, clinical, and population studies approaches.  These products should have lower emissions and exhibit reduced biological effects compared with those of cigarettes, ideally approaching those of smoking cessation.  The products should also be acceptable cigarette alternatives for current smokers, while not appealing to nonsmokers or former smokers.  Validating harm reduction and promoting regulatory acceptance...

Characterization of a Vitrocell VC1 Using Nicotine Dosimetry: An Essential Component Toward Standardized In Vitro Aerosol Exposure of Tobacco and Next Generation Nicotine Delivery Products

June 21, 2018
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has regulatory authority over tobacco products, including conventional cigarettes and next generation products (NGPs) such as e-cigarettes and tobacco heating products (THPs).  There is a desire by the industry, regulators and animal protection organizations to incorporate non-animal test methods for tobacco product and NGP assessment.  When assessing respiratory effects in vitro, reliable exposure systems that deliver aerosols to cellular/tissue cultures (such as human reconstructed airways or lung slices) at the air–liquid interface are needed.  Using nicotine dosimetry, we report the...

Holger Behrsing, PhD, Participates in Round Table Discussion on Non-Animal Approaches for Inhalation Toxicology

June 14, 2018
Holger Behrsing, PhD, was recently invited to participate in an expert round table discussion convened on the development and implementation of 21st century non-animal approaches to assess the toxicity of inhaled substances.  The discussion included perspectives from government, industry, nonprofit, and academic sectors on the advantages and challenges of using these approaches, ongoing efforts, and steps needed to gain widespread use and acceptance of these approaches. A transcript of the discussion has just been published in Applied In Vitro Toxicology, Vol....

In Vitro Exposure Systems and Dosimetry Assessment Tools for Inhaled Tobacco Products: Workshop Proceedings, Conclusions and Paths Forward for In Vitro Model Use

August 17, 2017
In 2009, the passing of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act facilitated the establishment of the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), and gave it regulatory authority over the marketing, manufacture and distribution of tobacco products, including those termed ‘modified risk’. On April 4-6, 2016, IIVS convened a workshop conference entitled, In Vitro Exposure Systems and Dosimetry Assessment Tools for Inhaled Tobacco Products, to bring together stakeholders representing regulatory agencies, academia and industry to address the research priorities...

Using In Vitro Assays, the Direct Peptide Reactivity Assay (DPRA), KeratinoSens™ Assay (KS), and Human Cell Line Activation Test (h-CLAT) to Assess Skin Sensitization Potential of Electronic Cigarette Liquids

April 4, 2017
Three regulatory accepted in vitro assays were evaluated in a proof-of-concept project to determine skin sensitization potential of electronic cigarette liquids (eliquids). These assays measure molecular initiating events and initial cellular responses prescribed in the OECD Integrated Testing Strategy (ITS) describing key events in the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) leading to skin sensitization....

Assessment of In Vitro COPD Models for Tobacco Regulatory Science: Workshop Proceedings, Conclusions and Paths Forward for In Vitro Model Use

March 30, 2017
On 8-10 December 2014, IIVS organised a workshop conference, entitled Assessment of In Vitro COPD Models for Tobacco Regulatory Science, to bring together stakeholders representing regulatory agencies, academia, industry and animal protection, to address the research priorities articulated by the FDA-CTP. Specific topics were covered to assess the status of current Assessment of In Vitro COPD Models for Tobacco Regulatory Science technologies as they are applied to understanding the adverse pulmonary events resulting from tobacco product exposure, and in particular,...

Special issue of Applied In Vitro Toxicology: Next Generation Tobacco Products

March 10, 2017
Check out the recently released special issue of Applied In Vitro Toxicology: Application of In Vitro Toxicology Approaches for the Evaluation of Next-Generation Nicotine Products.  The issue includes several articles by IIVS scientists and other experts. View the issue online....

In Vitro Models Available for Testing of ENDS

February 20, 2017
Presented at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's (NAS) workshop on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), e-cigarettes....

The Use of Human 3D Reconstructed Airway Cultures for Tobacco Product Evaluation: Precision Low-Volume Exposures at the Apical Site

January 10, 2017
With a mandate to evaluate the dynamics of pulmonary exposure to inhaled materials such as tobacco-based products, researchers are employing complex, human, three-dimensional pulmonary models. Human reconstructed airway (RHuA) tissues present a platform that more closely resembles airways in vivo. Grown at the air–liquid interface (ALI), RHuA tissues offer apical and basal compartments that allow flexibility in modeling physiologically relevant exposures and provide sampling location-specific results. Read the full article....