The Myeloid U937 Skin Sensitization Test (U-SENS) addresses the activation of dendritic cell event in the adverse outcome pathway for skin sensitization.

The U-SENS™ assay, formerly known as MUSST (Myeloid U937 Skin Sensitization Test), is an in vitro method to assess skin sensitization. Dendritic cell activation following exposure to sensitizers was modelled in the U937 human myeloid cell line by measuring the induction of the expression of CD86 by flow cytometry. The predictive performance of U-SENS™ was assessed via a comprehensive comparison analysis with the available human and LLNA data of 175 substances.

Skin sensitisation: the Colipa strategy for developing and evaluating non-animal test methods for risk assessment.

Allergic contact dermatitis is a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction induced by small reactive chemicals (haptens). Currently, the sensitising potential and potency of new chemicals is usually characterised using data generated via animal studies, such as the local lymph node assay (LLNA). There are, however, increasing public and political concerns regarding the use of animals for the testing of new chemicals.

Identifying and characterizing chemical skin sensitizers without animal testing: Colipa's research and method development program.

The sensitizing potential of chemicals is usually identified and characterized using one of the available animal test methods, such as the mouse local lymph node assay. Due to the increasing public and political concerns regarding the use of animals for the screening of new chemicals, the Colipa Skin Tolerance Task Force collaborates with and/or funds research groups to increase and apply our understanding of the events occurring during the acquisition of skin sensitization. Knowledge gained from this research is used to support the development and evaluation of novel alternative approaches for the identification and characterization of skin sensitizing chemicals.

Predicting skin sensitization potential and inter-laboratory reproducibility of a human Cell Line Activation Test (h-CLAT) in the European Cosmetics Association (COLIPA) ring trials.

Regulatory policies in Europe prohibited the testing of cosmetic ingredients in animals for a number of toxicological endpoints. Currently no validated non-animal test methods exist for skin sensitization. Evaluation of changes in cell surface marker expression in dendritic cell (DC)-surrogate cell lines represents one non-animal approach.