Transactivation assay for detection of compounds with (anti)androgenic potential using PALM cells

Method Description

The "PALM" test is an androgen receptor transactivation assay, assessing the activity of (anti-)androgenic compounds.

The test is based on a human prostate cancer cell line (PC-3). The cells are stably co-transfected with the full length human androgen receptor (AR) and a luciferase reporter gene. The test assesses the transcription of the luciferase gene, through the measurement of luminescence, and allows the discrimination between agonists and antagonists.

These assays investigate the potential for interaction of a chemical substance with nuclear receptors for endogenous hormones and as such investigate early events within an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) associated with perturbation of the endocrine system. Such assays could be used within an Integrated Testing Strategy (ITS) or Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) for identification of endocrine disruptors.