An In Vitro Versus In Vivo Toxicogenomic Investigation of Prenatal Exposures to Tobacco Smoke.

Approximately 1 million women smoke during pregnancy despite evidence demonstrating serious juvenile and/or adult diseases being linked to early-life exposure to cigarette smoke. Susceptibility could be determined by factors in previous generations, that is, prenatal or "maternal" exposures to toxins. Prenatal exposure to airborne pollutants such as mainstream cigarette smoke has been shown to induce early-life insults (i.e., gene changes) in Offspring that serve as biomarkers for disease later in life. In this investigation, we have evaluated genome-wide changes in the lungs of mouse Dams and their juvenile Offspring exposed prenatally to mainstream cigarette smoke. An additional lung model was tested alongside the murine model, as a means to find an alternative in vitro, human tissue-based replacement for the use of animals in medical research. Our toxicogenomic and bio-informatic results indicated that in utero exposure altered the genetic patterns of the fetus, which could put them at greater risk for developing a range of chronic illnesses in later life. The genes altered in the in vitro, cell culture model were reflected in the murine model of prenatal exposure to mainstream cigarette smoke. The use of alternative in vitro models derived from human medical waste tissues could be viable options to achieve human endpoint data and conduct research that meets the remits for scientists to undertake the 3Rs practices.

A normal and biotransforming model of the human bronchial epithelium for the toxicity testing of aerosols and solubilised substances.

In this article, we provide an overview of the experimental workflow by the Lung and Particle Research Group at Cardiff University, that led to the development of the two in vitro lung models - the normal human bronchial epithelium (NHBE) model and the lung-liver model, Metabo-Lung™. This work was jointly awarded the 2013 Lush Science Prize. The NHBE model is a three-dimensional, in vitro, human tissue-based model of the normal human bronchial epithelium, and Metabo-Lung involves the co-culture of the NHBE model with primary human hepatocytes, thus permitting the biotransformation of inhaled toxicants in an in vivo-like manner. Both models can be used as alternative test systems that could replace the use of animals in research and development for safety and toxicity testing in a variety of industries (e.g. the pharmaceutical, environmental, cosmetics, and food industries). Metabo-Lung itself is a unique tool for the in vitro detection of toxins produced by reactive metabolites. This 21st century animal replacement model could yield representative in vitro predictions for in vivo toxicity. This advancement in in vitro toxicology relies on filter-well technology that will enable a wide-spectrum of researchers to create viable and economic alternatives for respiratory safety assessment and disease-focused research.