Advances in Predictive Toxicology for Discovery Safety through High Content Screening

Chem Res Toxicol. 2016 Dec 19;29(12):1998-2007. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6b00248. Epub 2016 Oct 21.

Abstract

High content screening enables parallel acquisition of multiple molecular and cellular readouts. In particular the predictive toxicology field has progressed from the advances in high content screening, as more refined end points that report on cellular health can be studied in combination, at the single cell level, and in relatively high throughput. Here, we discuss how high content screening has become an essential tool for Discovery Safety, the discipline that integrates safety and toxicology in the drug discovery process to identify and mitigate safety concerns with the aim to design drug candidates with a superior safety profile. In addition to customized mechanistic assays to evaluate target safety, routine screening assays can be applied to identify risk factors for frequently occurring organ toxicities. We discuss the current state of high content screening assays for hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and genotoxicity, including recent developments and current advances.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Drug Discovery*
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Humans
  • Toxicity Tests
  • Toxicology*