Abstract
Tumor promoters are compounds that affect the formation of tumors in cells that have been initiated through some damage to their DNA. Exposure of initiated cells to a tumor promoter leads to carcinomas and papillomas. Yet, there has been no simple, quick and inexpensive test for determining whether a compound is a tumor promoter or exhibits tumor promoting activity.Researchers at Arizona State University have developed such a test in which frog oocytes exposed to extremely small amounts of possible tumor promoters undergo rapid changes in surface pigmentation which can be detected with the unaided eye. To assay an agent for tumor promoting activity, the oocytes are incubated in media containing small quantities of that agent. Oocytes are then scored by eye for the profound pigmentation changes characteristic of treatment with tumor promoters. This assay is extremely simple, inexpensive, and allows rapid screening of many samples. Further, the initial assay can be followed by more precise, quantitative to confirm the tumor promoting activity of those agents which test positive.This invention taught in US patent No. 4,983,527, is useful for certain diagnostic tests as well as compound screening in drug discovery research, etc.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| State | Published - Jan 1 1900 |