DETECTION AND QUANTIFICATION OF CELLULAR STRESS RESPONSE RESOLUTION PATHWAY EXPRESSION AND FUNCTIONALITY AND THE EFFECTS OF AGENTS OR CONDITIONS THEREUPON

摘要

The assessment methods disclosed herein involve exposing cells to two stresses. The first stress (analogous to existing direct screening methods) involves exposing metazoan cells to an external stimulus of interest, such as exposing human cells to ionizing radiation, a chemical, or a set of physical conditions. The cells exposed to the first stress are thereafter exposed to a second stress which, importantly, is calibrated such that non-stressed cells of the same type will exhibit a predictable response to the second stress. By comparing the response to the second stress of i) cells that were exposed to the first stress and ii) cells that were not exposed to the first stress, an observer can assess whether exposure to the first stress caused or induced any change to the cells that affected the cells' ability to respond to the second stress.