Development of a novel method for evaluating avian embryonic toxicity by continuous observation using a shell-less incubation system

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22912
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 63:Environmental analyses and evaluation and related fields
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: Iwata Hisato 愛媛大学, 沿岸環境科学研究センター, 教授 (10271652)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ニワトリ / 発生毒性 / 殻なし孵化装置 / 有機リン酸エステル系難燃剤 / 鳥類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The chicken has become a model organism for avian toxicity tests, because it is one of the most readily available birds and its genome has been decoded. However, since the chick embryos develop in non-transparent eggshells, it has not been possible to observe the developmental toxicity of the same individual over time in chemical exposure tests. Thus, as in a fish model organism, the zebrafish, it is difficult to obtain detailed information on "where, when, and how toxicity occurs in avian embryos" by exposure tests. In this study, we applied a device that develops embryos with no eggshells to toxicology research and succeeded in observing the developmental toxicity of chick embryos over time. Using this device, we were able to visualize the process of developmental toxicity in chick embryos.

Free Research Field

環境毒性学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

化学物質の安全性審査には、試験方法等の国際的調和を目指した取組が進められており、OECDにより試験方法の標準化のための「OECDテストガイドライン」（TG）が定められている。日本でも、TGに則った生態影響試験が実施されてきた。しかしながら鳥類に関するTGは、 摂餌毒性試験や繁殖試験などいずれも成鳥を対象にした試験で、胚の表現型影響を詳細に調べる試験は含まれていない。本研究が示したように、新たな鳥類試験法によって発生毒性が評価できた学術的・社会的意義は大きい。