The use of Genomic Allergen Rapid Detection (GARD) assays to predict the respiratory and skin sensitising potential of e-liquids

Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. Volume 103, April 2019, Pages 158-165 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2019.01.001

Matthew Stevenson, Lukasz Czekala, Liam Simms, Nicole Tschierske, Olivia Larne, Tanvir Walele

Abstract
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are an increasingly popular alternative to combustible tobacco cigarettes among smokers worldwide. A growing body of research indicates that flavours play a critical role in attracting and retaining smokers into the e-cigarette category, directly contributing to declining smoking rates and tobacco harm reduction. The responsible selection and inclusion levels of flavourings in e-liquids must be guided by toxicological principles. Some flavour ingredients, whether natural extracts or synthetic, are known allergens. In this study, we used the Genomic Allergen Rapid Detection (GARD) testing strategy to predict and compare the respiratory and skin sensitising potential of three experimental and two commercial e-liquids. These novel, myeloid cell-based assays use changes in the transcriptional profiles of genomic biomarkers that are collectively relevant for respiratory and skin sensitisation. Our initial results indicate that the GARD assays were able to differentiate and broadly classify e-liquids based on their sensitisation potential, which are defined mixtures. Further studies need to be conducted to assess whether and how these assays could be used for the screening and toxicological assessment of e-liquids to support product development and commercialisation.

Keywords
Electronic cigarettesSkin sensitisationRespiratory sensitisationIn vitroAlternative methods

Article on line

Forskningsarbete kring GARDprotein publicerat i välrenommerad vetenskaplig tidskrift (EJ REG)

SenzaGen meddelar att forskningsresultat som stödjer utvecklingen av ett nytt applikationsområde för företagets testplattform GARDTM publicerats i den välrenommerade tidskriften Toxicology in Vitro. Det forskningsarbete som beskrivs i publikationen utgör basen för GARDprotein – en testmetod som utvecklas för att kunna utesluta allergiframkallande proteiner ur dagens och morgondagens livsmedel. 

I publikationen, An alternative biomarker-based approach for the prediction of proteins known to sensitize the respiratory tract, redovisar en forskargrupp från Lunds universitet sitt framgångsrika arbete med att identifiera en unik sammansättning av gener, en så kallad gensignatur, som gör det möjligt att utvärdera den allergiframkallande förmågan av proteiner. Denna gensignatur utgör basen för utvecklingen av GARDprotein, ett test som har potential att möta livsmedelsindustrins stigande behov av att undvika allergiframkallande substanser i sina produkter.

Som tidigare meddelats har en vetenskaplig utvärdering av GARDprotein redan genomförts. De positiva resultaten av denna utvärdering presenterades nyligen vid The 3rd ImpARAS Conference i Helsingör, Danmark. Resultaten visar att testmetoden med hög precision och tillförlitlighet kan minska riskerna för att proteiner i livsmedel felaktigt får stämpeln som allergiframkallande, eller att deras allergiframkallande egenskaper inte upptäcks i tid.

Artikeln publicerad i Toxicology In Vitro

An alternative biomarker-based approach for the prediction of proteins known to sensitize the respiratory tractZeller KS, Johansson H, Lund TØ, Kristensen NN, Roggen EL, Lindstedt M. finns tillgänglig på nedanstående länk https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29017774

Research on GARDprotein published in highly reputed scientific journal

SenzaGen announces that research findings that support the development of a new application area for the company’s test platform GARDTM have been published in the highly reputed journal Toxicology in Vitro. The research described in the publication constitutes the basis of GARDprotein – a test method currently being developed to be able to eliminate allergy-inducing proteins from today’s and tomorrow’s foodstuffs.

In the publication, An alternative biomarker-based approach for the prediction of proteins known to sensitize the respiratory tract, a research group from Lund University describes its successful work on the identification of a unique set of genes, gene signature, that makes it possible to evaluate the allergenic characteristics of proteins. This gene signature constitutes the basis of the development of GARDprotein, a test that has the potential to meet the growing needs of the food industry to avoid allergy-inducing substances in their products.

As previously announced, a scientific evaluation of GARDprotein has already been carried out. The positive results of this evaluation were recently announced at The 3rd ImpARAS Conference in Helsingør, Denmark. The results show that with a high degree of accuracy and reliability the test method can reduce the risk that proteins in food are incorrectly categorized as allergenic or that their allergenic properties are not detected in time.

The article :
An alternative biomarker-based approach for the prediction of proteins known to sensitize the respiratory tract. Zeller KS, Johansson H, Lund TØ, Kristensen NN, Roggen EL, Lindstedt M.

Published in Toxicology In Vitroonline available via this link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29017774

For more information, please contact
Anki Malmborg Hager, CEO, SenzaGen AB
Email: anki.malmborg.hager@senzagen.com
Telephone: +46 768 284822