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This protocol describes a quantitative and robust 96-well-plate-reader-based assay for the measurement of ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity using the rat hepatoma cell line H4IIE. The assay can be used to determine the cytochrome P450 subfamily 1A (CYP1A)-inducing potential of single substances, as well as of mixtures and extracts of samples. It is based on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated induction of cytochrome P450 enzymes (subfamily 1A) in cells after exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds. One enzymatic reaction catalyzed by CYP1A is the deethylation of the exogenous substrate 7-ethoxyresorufin to the fluorescent product resorufin, which is measured as EROD activity in the assay. The CYP1A-inducing potential of a sample can be reliably quantified by comparing the EROD activity with the concentration-response curve of the standard substance 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, which can be detected at concentrations down to the picogram per liter range. A researcher familiar with the procedure can process up to 160 samples with four wells each within 3 d. The series described uses four plates with three concentrations per sample, which can be easily scaled to accommodate different sample sizes.

Increased use of nanomaterials in everyday products leads to their environmental release and therefore, the information need on their fate and behaviour. Nanomaterials have to be suspended with high repeatability and comparability for studies on environmental effects. They also have to be well characterised with a focus on the state of agglomeration and particle size distribution. Dynamic lightscattering (DLS) is a common technique used for these measurements. If suspensions are prepared in different laboratories, then concern has risen about the comparability of the measured results, especially when different DLS instruments are used. Therefore, for quality assurance, a round-robin test was conducted to assess the comparability of different DLS instruments and a dispersion protocol in ten independent laboratories. Polystyrene and TiO2 were chosen as test (nano)materials. For the comparability of the DLS instruments, the average sizes of the PSL and a stabilised TiO2 suspension were measured. The measured average hydrodynamic diameter shows an overall good inter-laboratory comparability. For the PSL suspension, an average hydrodynamic diameter of 201 ± 13 nm and for the TiO2 suspension an average diameter of 224 ± 24 nm were detected. For the TiO2 suspension that was prepared at each laboratory following an established suspension preparation protocol, an average hydrodynamic diameter of 211 ± 11 nm was detected. The measured average particle size (mode) increased up to 284 nm with a high standard deviation of 119 nm if the preparation protocol could not established and different procedures or different equipment were employed. This study shows that no significant differences between the employed DLS instrument types were determined. It was also shown that comparable measurements and suspension preparation could be achieved if welldefined suspension preparation protocols and comparable equipment can be used

In vitro assessment of genotoxicity as an early warning tool for carcinogenicity mainly relies on recording cytogenetic damages (micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges) in tumour-derived mammalian cell lines like V79 or CHO. The forecasting power of the corresponding standardised test is based on epidemiological evidence between micronuclei frequencies and cancer incidence. As an alternative to destructive staining of nuclear structures a fish stem cell line transgenic for a fusion protein of histone 2B (H2B) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) was established. The cells are derived from koi carp brain (KCB) and distinguish from mammalian culturable cells by non-tumour-driven self-renewal. This technology enables the analysis of genotoxic-and malign downstream effects in situ in a combined approach. In proof-of concept-experiments, we used known carcinogens (4-Nitroquinoline 1-oxide, colchicine, diethylstilbestrol, ethyl methanesulfonate) and observed a significant increase in micronuclei (MNi) frequencies in a dose-dependent manner. The concentration ranges for MNi induction were comparable to human/mammalian cells (i.e. VH-16, CHL and HepG2). Cannabidiol caused the same specific cytogenetic damage pattern as observed in human cells, in particular nucleoplasmic bridges. Metabolic activation of aflatoxin B1 and cyclophosphamide could be demonstrated by pre-incubation of the test compounds using either conventional rat derived S9 mix as well as an in vitro generated biotechnological alternative product ewoS9R. The presented high throughput live H2B-eGFP imaging technology using non-transformed stem cells opens new perspectives in the field of in vitro toxicology. The technology offers experimental access to investigate the effects of carcinogens on cell cycle control, gene expression pattern and motility in the course of malign transformation. The new technology enables the definition of Adverse Outcome Pathways leading to malign cell transformation and contributes to the replacement of animal testing. Summary: Complementation of genotoxicity testing by addressing initiating events leading to malign transformation is suggested. A vertebrate cell model showing "healthy" stemness is recommended, in contrast to malign transformed cells used in toxicology/oncocology.

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