The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM) has incorporated early screening with BlueScreen HC into its genotoxicity profiling regime, says the technology’s originator Gentronix. The use of BlueScreen HC is claimed to provide accurate, sensitive results that are integrated into RIFM’s testing cascade and enable more efficient fragrance material evaluation.
BlueScreen HC is described as a highly specific, sensitive human cell based assay used to screen chemicals for their potential to cause damage to DNA: a property known as genotoxicity. Based on technology already used in the pharmaceutical industry, BlueScreen HC is used to provide a rapid assessment of potential hazard across diverse chemical collections in the assessment of new chemicals that are candidates for product development. The assay evaluates the up-regulation of a key gene’s GADD45a, response to a chemical that causes damage to, or interferes with, DNA. It measures the luminescence generated from the enzyme gaussia luciferase from the marine crustacean Gaussia princeps. The gene is incorporated into the human TK6 cells used in the assay and linked to GADD45a production.
RIFM President Dr David Wilcox said BlueScreen HC was “a very useful tool in our fragrance material evaluation process”, while Gentronix’s Commercial Director, Dr Steve Beasley, said: “We have been impressed with the scientific rigor that RIFM brings to the safety evaluation of fragrance materials and their assessment of new technologies such as BlueScreen HC. We look forward to continuing this important collaboration.”