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Toxicogenomic approaches in developmental toxicology testing

Joshua F Robinson1, Aldert H Piersma

  • 1Laboratory for Health Protection Research-National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. robinsonjf@gmail.com

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 10, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Toxicogenomic applications offer new ways to identify teratogens, but studies are complex. This review guides researchers through toxicogenomic methods in developmental toxicology for better teratogen prediction.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental toxicology
  • Toxicogenomics
  • Pharmacogenomics

Background:

  • Toxicogenomic applications provide novel tools for characterizing, classifying, and predicting teratogens.
  • Conducting toxicogenomic studies presents challenges due to numerous experimental and statistical steps.
  • Understanding biological and technical factors is crucial for interpreting toxicogenomic data in developmental toxicology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To guide researchers through the fundamental framework of toxicogenomic investigations in developmental toxicology.
  • To provide examples of factors influencing toxicogenomic response and interpretation.
  • To review diverse applications of toxicogenomic approaches in teratology testing.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current toxicogenomic applications in teratology.
  • Discussion of exposure-response characterization (dose and duration).
  • Examination of chemical classification and cross-model comparison study designs.

Main Results:

  • Toxicogenomics offers a framework for characterizing teratogens.
  • Identified key biological and technical factors impacting toxicogenomic studies.
  • Highlighted diverse applications including dose-response, classification, and cross-model comparisons.

Conclusions:

  • This review provides a guide for navigating the complexities of toxicogenomic analyses in developmental toxicology.
  • Emphasizes the utility of toxicogenomics in study design for teratology.
  • Discusses the future potential of 'omics' approaches in developmental toxicology research.

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