Screening method of endocrine disrupting chemicals using a surface plasmon resonance sensor

Because concern over endocrine disrupting reactions caused by chemicals to human and animals is growing, a rapid and reliable screening assay for endocrine disrupting chemicals is required. We have developed an in vitro screening assay based on a hormone receptor mechanism using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. When a DNA fragment containing a sequence of the estrogen response element (ERE) is immobilized on a sensor chip of a SPR sensor and an estrogen receptor α(ER) is injected over the sensor chip, the interaction of ER and ERE can be monitored in real time. In the presence of a chemical with estrogenic activity, the ER-ERE interaction is enhanced and the kinetic parameters are altered. We have validated the assay in terms of its specificity, dose dependency, optimal reaction conditions and reproducibility. It has been shown that the assay is very reliable as a rapid and quantitative screening method to judge the estrogenic activities of chemicals.