Abstract
New approach methodologies (NAMs) used to assess chemicals for
biological effects are typically designed to limit the amount of test
article required, and to promote efficiencies such as compatibility with
liquid handlers, etc. This is certainly true in the case of genetic
toxicology, where many methods have been and continue to be developed
with 96- or 384-well plate processing in mind. However, one recognized
concern with microwell plates is that the volatility of test substances
and/or their metabolites and/or their degradation products may affect
adjacent wells. Here, we describe an approach that combines breathable
membranes as well as activated carbon filters to mitigate volatility
issues in 96 well plates. These experiments were performed with
cyclophosphamide-exposed TK6 cells, and utilized the biomarkers
micronuclei, p53, gammaH2AX, phospho-histone H3, and nuclei to counting
bead ratios to both demonstrate volatility impact, and to assess the
effectiveness of the solution described herein.