Ryan, C., F. Gerberick, L. Cruse, D. Basketter, L, Lea, L. Blaikie, R. Dearman, V. Warbrick, and I. Kimber.� Activity of Human Contact Allergens in the Murine Local Lymph Node Assay.� ATLA 1999.� 27:� 115.

 

The murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) is a predictive test method for identification of chemicals that have the potential to cause skin sensitisation. �Since its original development, the assay has been the subject of national and international evaluation studies and extensive comparisons with guinea-pig tests and human data.� On the basis of these investigations, the LLNA has recently been endorsed by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) as a stand-alone method for skin sensitisation testing.� At the same time ICCVAM confirmed that, although the LLNA is not an in vitro method, it does permit a reduction in, and a refinement of, the use of animals in sensitisation hazard assessment.� The investigations described here were designed to further explore the ability of the LLNA to accurately identify those chemicals that cause allergic contact dermatitis in humans.� To that end, we have measured, in three laboratories, LLNA responses induced by 18 test chemicals, 12 of which are known to cause skin sensitisation and 6 of which are believed not to be associated with allergic contact dermatitis.� The results of these investigations provide additional evidence that the LLNA is able to discriminate between skin sensitisers and non-sensitisers, and provides a method for hazard identification that offers important animal welfare benefits.�