Seven US FDA-batch certified synthetic food colors are approved for use as food additives in the United States. Perceived neurodevelopmental concerns for these colors persist. This study assessed the plausibility of such an association through the evaluation of mechanistic evidence collected from in vitro assays or other alternative models. Mechanisms and molecular targets underlying neurodevelopmental processes associated with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodevelopmental-related symptoms (e.g., cognitive function, learning and memory disorder, etc.) were identified. Publicly available data from the ToxCast/Tox21 high-throughput screening (HTS) program and peer-reviewed literature that measure activity of the colors for such molecular targets were analyzed and reviewed. Erythrosine (Red No. 3) was active in several assays mapped to neurodevelopmental processes - specifically, HTS assays that measure signals in neurotransmitter pathways. The remaining six colors do not appear to alter signaling pathways related to neurodevelopmental processes on the molecular or cellular level. This assessment provides an approach for systematically identifying and mapping mechanistic data to putative neurodevelopmental processes as a means to prioritize substances for possible further investigation. The assessment also provides insights into the lack of activity of synthetic food colors for key events in neurodevelopmental signaling pathways.

中文翻译：

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对FDA认证的食用色素和神经发育过程的机械数据进行系统评估。

七种经过美国FDA批认证的合成食用色素已获批准在美国用作食品添加剂。这些颜色的感知神经发育问题持续存在。这项研究通过评估从体外分析或其他替代模型中收集的机械证据，评估了这种关联的合理性。确定了与注意力缺陷和多动障碍（ADHD）和其他神经发育相关症状（例如，认知功能，学习和记忆障碍等）相关的神经发育过程的机制和分子靶标。分析和审查了来自ToxCast / Tox21高通量筛选（HTS）程序的公开可用数据以及经过同行评审的文献，这些文献测量了此类分子靶标的颜色活性。赤藓红（红色 3）在映射到神经发育过程的多种测定中很活跃-特别是在HTS测定中测量神经递质途径中的信号。其余六种颜色似乎在分子或细胞水平上均未改变与神经发育过程相关的信号通路。该评估提供了一种系统地识别机制数据并将其映射到推定的神经发育过程的方法，以此作为优先考虑可能进行进一步研究的物质的方法。该评估还提供了针对神经发育信号通路关键事件合成食用色素缺乏活性的见解。其余六种颜色似乎在分子或细胞水平上均未改变与神经发育过程相关的信号通路。该评估提供了一种系统地识别机制数据并将其映射到推定的神经发育过程的方法，以此作为优先考虑可能进行进一步研究的物质的方法。该评估还提供了针对神经发育信号通路关键事件合成食用色素缺乏活性的见解。其余六种颜色似乎在分子或细胞水平上均未改变与神经发育过程相关的信号通路。该评估提供了一种系统地识别机制数据并将其映射到推定的神经发育过程的方法，以此作为优先考虑可能进行进一步研究的物质的一种手段。该评估还提供了针对神经发育信号通路关键事件合成食用色素缺乏活性的见解。