Metabolism and Xenobiotics (MeX)

The “Metabolism and Xenobiotics” team (MeX) is based on a group of scientists with strong skills in the field of metabolic studies, aiming at deciphering the links between specific metabolic pathways and mechanisms of toxicity using in vitro, in vivo and in silico approaches. MeX develops projects directly addressing specific issues related to food toxicology, including low-dose effects (Metabolic and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: MDCs/EDCs) and mixture effects. Studies encompass the fate of food contaminants (FC) and their relation with bioactivation/detoxification processes, as well as the FC driven modulation of endogenous metabolic networks. Approaches developed and implemented by the team range from global untargeted analyses of metabolic changes (metabolomics, genome-scale metabolic networks analyses) to targeted mechanistic methods (xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes activity assays, genotoxicity assays…). As part of the AlimH division of INRA, the priority of the team is to develop projects on molecules raising high concerns linked with human exposure and health issues (including predictive toxicology) for which knowledge gaps have been identified.

Metabolism & Genotoxicity (including mixture effects)

•  [PAHs, pesticides, phénols, mycotoxins…]
•  gH2AX test in vivo / in vitro; Modeling of mixture effects.

Systems Biology : omics-based modulation of the metabolic network when exposed to xenobiotics

• in vitro (cellular models)
• in vivo (organism)
• Including low-dose toxicology issues
• Descriptive & predictive modeling of metabolic networks
• Development of a dedicated web-server (http://metexplore.toulouse.inra.fr)

Metabolic Bioactivation / Détoxification of Xenobiotics

•    Fate of xenobiotics in vivo / in vitro : links with toxic effects
•    [plasticizers, pesticides, PAHs, BFR… over 50 published papers]