Category Research project
  • Alternativmethoden zum Tierversuch
  • Toxikologie

PARC Sexual dimorphism associated to susceptibility to hepatotoxicity of environmental contaminants

Project status
In Progress
Project start
May 2025
Project end
Apr 2027
Acronym
PARC SDHEPATOX
Department
Deutsches Zentrum zum Schutz von Versuchstieren und experimentelle Toxikologie
Website
https://www.eu-parc.eu/

Description and Objective

The liver is one of the organs exhibiting the greatest sexual dimorphism, and the hepatic metabolic pathways subject to sexual dimorphism include the metabolism of xenobiotics, amino acids and lipids. Consequently, sex-specific biological and physiological differences influence individual susceptibility and the effects of chemical exposureExposureTo glossary on human health. For example, the likelihood of acute liver failure is higher in women than in men, and 70% of all cases of acute liver failure occur in women. Animal studies can account for sexual dimorphism by selecting the most sensitive sex for in vivo studies. However, the models and methods used to characterise the toxicity of pollutants in vitro do not yet allow for the prediction of individual susceptibility in the context of sexual dimorphism. It is therefore important to take hepatic sexual dimorphism into account when analysing the toxicological effects of environmental contaminants in in vitro studies and to integrate this knowledge, from a regulatory perspective, into the development of new alternative methods (NAMs). The aim of this project is to contribute to the improvement of current in vitro methods for assessing in vitro hepatotoxicity, taking sex differences into account, and to enhance our understanding through the use of various in vitro liver models in conjunction with predictive biomarkers. The project will be guided by the work carried out under the tasks of WP5, in particular 5.2.1 and 5.3, as well as WP6, and will take into account the ongoing work of the OECD Expert Group on Non-Genotoxic Carcinogens and Endocrine Disruptors.
Type of project

Third-party funded project

Research focus

Alternativmethoden zum Tierversuch

Organisational units and partners

Lead specialist group: Toxikologische Bewertungsstrategien (93)
Contact persons: Dr. Michael Oelgeschläger
External partner: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety , Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Funding body and grant number

Europäische Union
Grant Agreement 101057014

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