Application of biological modifiers to a multiplexed, human cell-based
DNA damage assay provides mechanistic information on genotoxicity and
molecular targets
Abstract
This laboratory has reported that the combined use of MicroFlow and
MultiFlow assays provides information regarding chemicals’ genotoxic
mode of action (MoA). In an effort to go beyond MoA assessments, we
incorporated a panel of biological response modifiers that elicit
specific effects on the assays’ biomarker response profiles. This was
done to pursue our hypothesis that such perturbation signatures would
reveal information on clastogenic mechanisms and molecular targets. For
this proof-of-concept study, we exposed TK6 cells to 20 previously
identified clastogens. TK6 cells in 96-well plates in the presence and
absence of each of four modifying agents at one optimized concentration:
talazoparib (PARP inhibitor), MK-8776 (CHK1 inhibitor), AZD-7648 (DNA-PK
inhibitor), or a cocktail of reactive oxygen species scavengers. In
parallel, cells were also exposed to each of the test chemicals for 4
hr, at which time cells were washed and allowed to recover for an
additional 20 hours. For each of these treatment conditions, sample
processing and flow cytometric analyses were performed using standard
MicroFlow and MultiFlow procedures to measure micronuclei, γH2AX,
phosphohistone-H3 (p-H3), p53 activation, and relative nuclei counts.
The resulting biomarker response data were processed with PROAST
benchmark dose (BMD) software, with modifying agent as a covariate.
Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of the collective potency metrics
for various combinations of biomarkers showed that clastogens with
similar genotoxic mechanisms grouped together. Overall, this study shows
that in combination with biological response modifiers, MultiFlow and
MicroFlow biomarkers can provide mechanistic insights into
chemical-induced genotoxicity.