ToxTracker consists of a collection of 6 unique fluorescent reporter cell lines that are combined in a single assay. These reporters signal the activation of various cellular stress responses that indicate the induction of DNA damage, oxidative stress, and protein damage. The extended assay, ToxTracker ACE, combines these different fluorescent reporters with an extensive cell cycle analysis and polyploidy analysis to discriminate between genotoxins with a clastogenic or an aneugenic mode-of-action. Aneugens can be further characterised in TubulinTracker to support an Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) approach. Genotoxic effects that are indirectly caused by high levels of oxidative stress can be readily identified in ToxTracker AO. The ToxTracker suite is particularly useful for AOP and read-across approaches. All assays can be useful as stand-alone or as follow-up tests of ToxTracker.
ToxTracker is typically used for early genotoxicity screening and as a follow-up test for mode-of-action assessment. ToxTracker requires small amounts of test material, has a short turn-around time, and has an excellent predictivity for the Ames mutation test, as well as, the in vitro and in vivo micronucleus assay. The mode-of-action information from the ToxTracker suite can be highly valuable during compound development or in a weight-of-evidence approach for regulatory application.