Dimethyl sulphone

Skin irritation / corrosion

Administrative data

Endpoint:

skin irritation: in vitro / ex vivo

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

December 04, 2017 to March 13, 2018

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

guideline study

Justification for type of information:

Data is from experimental study report

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

2018

Report date:

2018

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 439 (In Vitro Skin Irritation: Reconstructed Human Epidermis Test Method)

Principles of method if other than guideline:

The purpose of this study is to provide classification of dermal irritation potential of a chemical by using a three-dimensional human epidermis model, according to the OECD Test Guideline No. 439, “In Vitro Skin Irritation: Reconstructed Human Epidermis Test Method”.

GLP compliance:

yes

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Dimethyl sulphone

EC Number:

200-665-9

EC Name:

Dimethyl sulphone

Cas Number:

67-71-0

Molecular formula:

C2H6O2S

IUPAC Name:

dimethyl sulphone

Test material form:

solid

Details on test material:

- Name of test material (as cited in study report): Dimethyl sulfone
- Molecular formula : C2H6O2S
- Molecular weight : 94.1334 g/mol
- Substance type: Organic
- Physical state: Solid

In vitro test system

Test system:

human skin model

Remarks:

MatTek EpiDerm™ Tissue Model

Source species:

human

Cell type:

non-transformed keratinocytes

Cell source:

other: EpiDerm™ 3-dimensional human tissues used in this study

Source strain:

other: Not applicable

Details on animal used as source of test system:

EpiDerm™ tissues, Lot No. 27646 Kits I and J, were received from MatTek on 12 Dec 2017, and Lot No. 27654 Kits O and P, were received from MatTek on 19 Dec 2017. All tissues were refrigerated at 2-8°C upon receipt. Before use, the tissues were incubated (37±1°C, 5±1% CO2) with assay medium (MatTek) for a one-hour equilibration. The tissues were then moved to new wells with fresh medium for an additional overnight equilibrium, for 18±3 hours. Equilibration medium was replaced with fresh medium before dosing.

Justification for test system used:

The EpiDerm™ Skin Model closely parallels human skin, thus providing a useful in vitro means to assess dermal irritancy and toxicology

Vehicle:

unchanged (no vehicle)

Details on test system:

EpiDerm™ Tissue Samples
EpiDerm™ tissues, Lot No. 27646 Kits I and J, were received from MatTek on 12 Dec 2017, and Lot No. 27654 Kits O and P, were received from MatTek on 19 Dec 2017 All tissues were refrigerated at 2-8°C upon receipt. Before use, the tissues were incubated (37±1°C, 5±1% CO2) with assay medium (MatTek) for a one-hour equilibration. The tissues were then moved to new wells with fresh medium for an additional overnight equilibrium, for 18±3 hours. Equilibration medium was replaced with fresh medium before dosing.

Mesh Compatibility
Five of the test articles supplied were liquids. These test articles were assessed for compatibility with pre-cut nylon mesh supplied with the tissues. The mesh was placed on a slide and 30 μl of a liquid test articles or PBS (negative control) were applied. After 60 minutes of exposure, the mesh was checked microscopically. If no damage or other interaction was observed, indicating that the mesh was compatible with the test article, the mesh was used as a spreading aid.

Tissue Viability (MTT Reduction)
At the end of the incubation period, each EpiDerm™ tissue was rinsed with PBS and transferred to a 24-well plate containing 300 μl of MTT solution (1 mg/ml MTT in DMEM). The tissues were then returned to the incubator for a three-hour MTT incubation period. Following the MTT incubation period, each EpiDerm™ tissue was rinsed with PBS and then treated with 2.0 ml of extractant solution (isopropanol) per well for at least two hours, with shaking, at room temperature. Two aliquots of the extracted MTT formazan were measured at 540 nm using a plate reader (μQuant Plate Reader, Bio-Tek Instruments, Winooski, VT).
For several tissues, the test article had stained the tissues. Therefore, the tissues were extracted with only 1.0 ml, allowing extraction to occur only through the bottom of the insert. After the extraction period, the tissue insert was removed and discarded and 1.0 ml of extraction solution were added to each well, bringing the volume to a total of 2.0 ml.

Quality Controls
The assay meets the acceptance criteria if the mean OD540 of the negative control tissues is between 1.0 and 2.5, inclusive, and the mean viability of positive control tissues, expressed as percentage of the negative control tissues, is at least 20%. In addition, the standard deviation (SD) calculated from individual percent tissue viabilities of the three identically-treated replicates must be less than 18%.
Note: Chemicals that provide tissue viabilities in a range of 30% to 70% may provide high SD. If the high SD (above acceptance limits) is typical for the chemical and the classification of the chemical is consistent in all independent runs, MatTek recommends that this result be accepted, although it did not meet the Assay Acceptance Criterion.

Analysis of Data
See Table 1 for Experimental Data. The mean absorbance value for each time point was calculated from the optical density (OD) of the duplicate samples and expressed as percent viability for each sample using the following formula:
% viability = 100 X (OD sample/OD negative control)

Skin Irritation Prediction
According to the EU1,2 and GHS3 classification (R38 / Category 2 or no label), an irritant is predicted if the mean relative tissue viability of three individual tissues exposed to the test substance is 50% or less of the mean viability of the negative controls.

In vitro result In vivo Classification
Mean tissue viability ≤ 50% Category 2
Mean tissue viability > 50% Non-irritant (NI)


Assessment of direct MTT reduction and assessment of coloring or staining materials was not performed. Therefore, it cannot be fully assessed if the test articles interfered with MTT viability measurements.

Retention of Data
Upon signing the final report, all raw data, supporting documentation and reports are submitted to the Archivist by the Study Director. The raw data are filed at MB Research by project number. The final report is filed at MB Research by Sponsor name and MB project number.
All data generated during the conduct of this study will be archived at MB Research for at least one year from the date of the final report and optionally longer at additional cost. The Sponsor will be contacted in writing to determine final disposition of the records.
Any remaining test article will be discarded upon submission of the report.

Amendment to the Protocol
There were no amendments to the protocol. See Appendix C for the protocol in its entirety
Evaluation of Test Article in the Cell Models:
1. Cell system: Upon receipt, the MatTek EpiDerm™ tissue cultures were placed in 0.9 mL of fresh Maintenance medium (in a 6-well plate). The culture inserts are incubated for ~one hour. The tissues were then transferred to 6-well plates containing 0.9 mL fresh Maintenance medium and they were incubated overnight at ~37°C, 5% CO2 in a humidified incubator.

2. Control and Test Article Exposures: On the day of dosing, the tissues are then removed from the incubator and the controls and the test article are applied topically to tissues by pipette. Tissues were exposed to controls and the test articles for one hour, with ~35 minutes in a 37°C, 5% CO2 humidified incubator and the remaining 25 minutes at room temperature.

a) Controls
30 µL of negative control DPBS, positive control 5% SDS was applied topically to the tissue and gently spread by placing a nylon mesh on the apical surface of each tissue, if necessary.

b)Test Article
For solid test article, the tissues were moistened with 25 μL of ultrapure water to improve contact of the tissue surface with the test article. Approximately 25 mg of each test article was evenly applied to the apical surface of each tissue (n=3). All the tissues were placed into the ~37°C incubator with 5% CO2. The exposure times were approximately 1 hour, with ~35 minutes exposure in the incubator and ~25 minutes at room temperature.

3.Post-exposure treatment
After the 1 hour exposure, the tissues were rinsed 20 to 25 times with 1 mL of DPBS. The apical surface was gently blotted with a cotton swab. The tissues were placed in 0.9 mL of fresh Maintenance medium (6-well plate) for either 25 hours, 38 minutes and 23 seconds or for 24 hours, 10 minutes and 09 seconds (as there were numerous tissues, they had to be broken down into 2 sets to complete dosing in a timely manner). After this initial ~24 hour incubation, the tissues were placed in 6-well plates containing 0.9 mL fresh Maintenance medium and incubated for another 17 hours, 03 minutes and 34 seconds prior to performing the MTT assay, for a total of an approximately 42 hour post-exposure incubation.

RECONSTRUCTED HUMAN EPIDERMIS (RHE) TISSUE
- Model used: The EpiDerm™ 3 dimensional human tissue model
- Tissue Lot number(s): 26459
- Date of initiation of testing: 6/08/2017

TEMPERATURE USED FOR TEST SYSTEM
- Temperature used during treatment / exposure: 37°C
- Temperature of post-treatment incubation (if applicable): 37°C

REMOVAL OF TEST MATERIAL AND CONTROLS
-Volume and number of washing steps: Twice

MTT DYE USED TO MEASURE TISSUE VIABILITY AFTER TREATMENT / EXPOSURE
- MTT concentration: 300 µL MTT medium (1.0 mg/mL).
- Incubation time: After 2 hours, 57 minute and 25 second MTT incubation
- Spectrophotometer: Synergy H4 spectrophotometer
- Wavelength: 570 nm
- Filter: No data
- Filter bandwidth: No data
- Linear OD range of spectrophotometer: No data

NUMBER OF REPLICATE TISSUES: 3

CALCULATIONS and STATISTICAL METHODS
All data were background subtracted before analysis. MTT data are presented as % viable compared to negative control. Data were generated as follows:

MTT Assay
Blanks:
·        The optical density (OD) mean from all replicates for each plate (ODblank).

Negative Controls (NC):
Identity: Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS), Lot No. AC10239794
Provided by:MatTek
Date Received:12 Dec 2017 and 19 Dec 2017
Expiration Date:18 Jul 2018
Storage:Room temperature and humidity
Description:Clear colorless liquid
Sample Preparation:Used as received

Positive Control (PC):
Identity: 5% Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS), Lot No. 071817MAB
Provided by:MatTek
Date Received:12 Dec 2017 and 19 Dec 2017
Expiration Date:18 Jul 2018
Storage:Room temperature and humidity
Description:Clear colorless liquid
Sample Preparation:Used as received

- Assay quality controls
- Negative Controls (NC)
The Dulbecco’s phosphate buffered saline (DPBS) was used as a NC. The assay passed all acceptance criteria if the ODs of the negative control exposed tissues were between ≥0.8 and ≤2.8.
 
- Positive Controls (PC)
5% solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate was used as a PC. The assay is meeting the acceptance criteria if the viability of the PC is ≤20% of the negative control.
 
- Standard Deviation (SD)
The standard deviation (SD) calculated from individual percent tissue viabilities of the test article exposed replicates was ≤18.

Control samples:

yes, concurrent negative control

yes, concurrent positive control

Amount/concentration applied:

TEST MATERIAL
- Amount(s) applied (volume or weight with unit): 25 mg
- Concentration (if solution): neat (undiluted)

VEHICLE (Not used)
- Amount(s) applied (volume or weight with unit): none
- Concentration (if solution): none
- Lot/batch no. (if required): none
- Purity: none

NEGATIVE CONTROL
- Amount(s) applied (volume or weight): 30 µL
- Concentration (if solution): neat

POSITIVE CONTROL
- Amount(s) applied (volume or weight): 30 µL
- Concentration (if solution): 5% solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate

Duration of treatment / exposure:

Tissues will be topically exposed to the test article and control articles for 60 minutes.

Duration of post-treatment incubation (if applicable):

After dosing, the tissues will be returned to the incubator for 35 ±1 minute, and then returned to the sterile hood for the remainder of the 60-minute exposure period.

Number of replicates:

All treatments with test articles and controls will be dosed in triplicate EpiDerm™ tissues.

Results and discussion

In vitro

Results

Irritation / corrosion parameter:

% tissue viability

Run / experiment:

Run 1

Value:

94.4

Vehicle controls validity:

not specified

Negative controls validity:

valid

Positive controls validity:

valid

Remarks on result:

no indication of irritation

Other effects / acceptance of results:

All treatments with test articles and controls will be dosed in triplicate EpiDerm™ tissues.

In vitro result In vivo Classification
Mean tissue viability ≤ 50% Category 2
Mean tissue viability > 50% Non-irritant

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Interpretation of results:

other: not irritating

Conclusions:

The dermal irritation potential of test article was determined according to the OECD 439 test guideline followed for this study. The Mean % tissue viability compared to negative control (n=3) of the test chemical was determined to be 94.4%. Thus, the test chemical was considered to be not irritating to the human skin.

Executive summary:

The dermal irritation potential of test article was determined according to the OECD 439 In Vitro Skin Irritation: Reconstructed Human Epidermis Test Method”. The MatTek EpiDerm™ model was used to assess the potential dermal irritation of the test article by determining the viability of the tissues following exposure to the test article via MTT. The objective of this study was to assess the dermal irritation potential of test article Tissues were exposed to test article and controls for ~one hour, followed by a 42 hour post-exposure recovery period. The viability of each tissue was determined by MTT assay. 

The MTT data shows that the assay quality controls were met. The mean tissue viabilities for the Positive control, Methyl acetate were 6.5%, 10.7% respectively in the first and second run, whereas the tissue viabilities of the negative control, Tissue culture water remained at 100% in the both the runs.

The Mean % tissue viability compared to negative control (n=3) of the test chemical was determined to be 94.4%.

Hence, under the experimental test conditions it was concluded that test chemical was considered to be not irritating to the human skin and being classified as “Not Classified'' as per CLP Regulation.