Application of complementary DNA microarray technology to carcinogen identification, toxicology, and drug safety evaluation

One major challenge facing today's cancer researchers and toxicologists is the development of new approaches for the identification of carcinogens and other environmental hazards. Here, we describe the potential impact of eme rging technologies for measuring gene expression profiles on carcinogen ide ntification and on the general field of toxicology. An example of one of th ese technologies is the use of cDNA microarray chips. We provide an overvie w to the key questions that are confronting investigators charged with dete rmining the relative safety of natural or synthetic chemicals to which huma ns are exposed, followed by a discussion of how cDNA microarray technology may be applied to these questions. Gene chip technology is still a relative ly new technology, and only a handful of studies have demonstrated its util ity. However, as the technical hurdles to development are passed, the use o f this methodology in addressing the questions raised here will be critical to increase the sensitivity of detection of the potential toxic effects of environmental chemicals and to understand their risks to humans.