抄録
Our Percellome Toxicogenomics Project aims at describing dynamic and comprehensive toxicobiological gene network for the development of predictive toxicology using time- and dose-dependent transcriptomic responses induced by a chemical. We consider that this approach meet demand for food safety assessment as well. There are 45 food-related chemicals among over 100 chemicals tested in the Percellome Project. The list includes, food additives, food components, functional health foods, agrochemicals, food contaminants including those could leach out from the package materials. As an example of our application of Percellome Toxicogenomics approach to food, we report a case study of a flavor, estragole, which is known as a major component of tarragon, and essential oils of basil.
Male mice (C57BL/6, 12 weeks old) were given a single oral dose of estragole at three doses (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) as well as vehicle control of corn oil. We sampled the liver at 2, 4, 8 and 24 hr post-gavage (three animals from each dose group), and applied to Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Genome 430 2.0 to obtain Percellome transcriptomic data.
Our data indicated that estragole is a PPAR-alpha agonist, with a potency comparable to clofibrate in mg/kg basis. Binding and signaling property of estragole to PPAR-alpha should be confirmed for further toxicological consideration of this food additive. If proven, its hepatocarcinogenic property should be reevaluated accordingly.
