Validation of the Hershberger Bioassay for Androgen and Antiandrogen Screening
Author Information
Author(s): William Owens, Gray L. Earl Jr., Errol Zeiger, Michael Walker, Kanji Yamasaki, John Ashby, Elard Jacob
Primary Institution: Procter & Gamble
Hypothesis
Can the Hershberger bioassay reliably identify weak androgenic and antiandrogenic substances?
Conclusion
The OECD Hershberger bioassay protocol is reproducible and transferable across laboratories for detecting androgenic and antiandrogenic activities.
Supporting Evidence
- The study involved 41 separate experiments across 16 laboratories.
- The protocols were able to detect significant weight changes in androgen-responsive tissues.
- The results were consistent across different experimental conditions.
Takeaway
This study tested a method to see if it can find chemicals that affect male hormones, and it worked well in many labs.
Methodology
The study involved 16 laboratories testing the Hershberger bioassay with various androgenic and antiandrogenic substances across different conditions.
Potential Biases
Variability in laboratory techniques and animal handling could introduce bias.
Limitations
Some laboratories had high variability in tissue handling, which affected results.
Participant Demographics
Sixteen laboratories from seven countries participated.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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