Alternative model organisms for toxicological fingerprinting of relevant parameters in food and nutrition

Abstract

In the field of (food) toxicology, there is a strong trend of replacing animal trials with alternative methods for the assessment of adverse health effects in humans. The replacement of animal trials is not only driven by ethical concerns but also by the number of potential testing substances (food additives, packaging material, contaminants, and toxicants), which is steadily increasing. In vitro 2D cell culture applications in combination with in silico modeling might provide an applicable first response. However, those systems lack accurate predictions of metabolic actions. Thus, alternative in vivo models could fill the gap between cell culture and animal trials. In this review, we highlight relevant studies in the field and spotlight the applicability of alternative models, including C. elegans, D. rerio, Drosophila, HET-CAM and Lab-on-a-chip.

Combination of marine bioactive compounds and extracts for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases

“…In this model, cell culture is conducted by using one or more cell lines in (co-) culture under two-dimensional (2D) settings. Co-culture can more closely resemble an in vivo model, allowing for the efficient and reproducible investigation of molecular mechanisms of combinations and uncovering multi-target mechanisms ( 92 ). For instance, co-culture models of immune and intestinal cells can be developed to study the anti-inflammatory/antioxidant activities of the food combination in relation to the compounds' absorbance and bioavailability after digestion in a cell model ( 93 , 94 ).…”

Insect Models in Nutrition Research

“…Even so, >60% of human disease genes have homologs or even orthologs in the fruit fly genome [ 23 ]. Drosophila mutants can be produced by chemical mutagenesis, irradiation, or the insertion of transposons such as P-elements, targeting more than 80% of its genome [ 24 ] and allowing the recovery of mutants within a few weeks [ 1 ].…”

“…They are favored as disease models because they share ~95% of human genes. However, mammals are expensive to house and breed in large numbers, and can be too complex for the analysis of some biological processes [ 1 ]. Moreover, the extensive use of mammals raises safety and ethical issues [ 2 ] which has resulted in the 3R principle (replacement, reduction and refinement) to limit the use of mammals in research.…”

Anti‐Hyperglycemic Effects of Oils and Extracts Derived from Sea Buckthorn – A Comprehensive Analysis Utilizing In Vitro and In Vivo Models

“…These higher organisms provide the possibility for systemic metabolic analysis and are not subjected to ethical constraints. [15] Additionally, this study aimed to compare the biological effects as well as the chemical composition of active ingredients in different plant parts and products of sea buckthorn including oil, fruits, leaves, and press cake extracts. This is because production of sea buckthorn oils requires harvesting of entire branches including leaves in order to obtain fruits and seeds.…”

“…These higher organisms provide the possibility for systemic metabolic analysis and are not subjected to ethical constraints. [ 15 ]…”