Mutagenesis Advance Access originally published online on July 6, 2009
Mutagenesis 2009 24(5):433-438; doi:10.1093/mutage/gep026
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Inter-laboratory evaluation of the bioluminescent Salmonella reverse mutation assay using 10 model chemicals
Pfizer Global Research and Development, Drug Safety Research and Development, Eastern Point Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA 1Research Technology Center, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 2Drug Safety Research and Development, Sandwich, Kent, Great Britain CT13 9NJ, UK 3Drug Safety Research and Development (Nagoya Laboratories), 5-2 Taketoyo, Aichi 470-2393, Japan 4Drug Safety Research and Development, La Jolla, CA 92121, USA
We have developed the bioluminescent Salmonella reverse mutation assay as a tool for detecting mutagenicity applicable for high-throughput screening of new chemicals. In this study, we report the inter-laboratory evaluation of the assay using 10 model chemicals in five independent laboratories located in the USA (Groton, CT; Cambridge, MA and La Jolla, CA), Europe (Sandwich, Kent, UK) and Asia (Nagoya, Japan). The studies were performed in blinded fashion in all sites except for Groton and Cambridge laboratories. The chemicals were tested in at least three independent experiments using strains TA98-lux and TA100-lux in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. The results were statistically evaluated and compared to published results. Seven of the 10 compounds were positive in either TA98-lux and/or TA100-lux in the presence or absence of metabolic activation. The positive compound set included: nitrofurazone, 3-3'-dimethoxybenzidine, benzo[a]pyrene, 1,4-benzoquinone dioxime, 2-amino-5-nitrophenol, 2-bromo-4,6-dinitroaniline and busulfan. The remaining three compounds, namely, anthracene, crystal violet and benzyl chloride were negative in both Salmonella strains. Final results for individual compounds yielded 100% agreement among the laboratories and published data. Detailed comparison of all 40 individual test conditions yielded 93% (37 of 40) agreement among participating laboratories. We conclude that the bioluminescent Salmonella reverse mutation assay is a robust, accurate and economical higher throughput assay applicable for the mutagenicity screening of chemicals.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 860 441 3320; Fax: +1 860 715 1251; Email: joel.i.ackerman{at}pfizer.com
Received on March 13, 2009; revised on June 5, 2009; accepted on June 8, 2009.