Technology ID
TAB-4598

Developing a Stable Cell as a Screening Tool for Environmental Chemicals

E-Numbers
E-048-2014-0
Lead Inventor
Teng, Christina (NIEHS)
Applications
Therapeutics
Research Materials
Development Stages
Pre-Clinical (in vitro)
Research Products
Human Cell Lines
Lead IC
NIEHS
ICs
NIEHS

This technology includes a stable cell line (293T2-PGC) which has an intact PGC-1 alpha/ERR-alpha pathway to screen for environmental chemicals. The estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERR-alpha) and proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator - 1alpha (PGC-1 alpha) play critical roles in the control of several physiological functions, including the regulation of genes involved in energy homeostasis. However, little is known about the environmental chemicals that could disrupt or modulate this pathway leading to adverse health effects. Currently, hundreds of in vitro cell-based assays have been developed and tested, but none for the pathway that plays an important role in metabolic homeostasis. The goal is to develop a cell-based assay system with an intact PGC-1-alpha/ERR-alpha axis that can be used to screen the effects of environmental chemicals or drugs.

Commercial Applications
Can be used to test various gene promoters that play an important role in energy balance including mitochondrial function, TCA cycle, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation etc. Work is continuing to introduce a stable reporter into this cell line, which will allow it to be used in Tox 21 HTS platform.

Competitive Advantages
This cell line is at the metabolically active state, any compound which disrupts this pathway can be detected as decrease of metabolic activity. It was also discovered that some compounds were able to further enhance the metabolic activity that is not reported in any of the existing products.

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Licensing Contact:
Choudhry, Vidita
vidita.choudhry@nih.gov
Date Published