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Rusyn I, Wright FA. Ten years of using key characteristics of human carcinogens to organize and evaluate mechanistic evidence in IARC Monographs on the identification of carcinogenic hazards to humans: Patterns and associations. Toxicol Sci 2024; 198:141-154. [PMID: 38141214 PMCID: PMC10901152 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Systematic review and evaluation of mechanistic evidence using the Key Characteristics approach was proposed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2012 and used by the IARC Monographs Working Groups since 2015. Key Characteristics are 10 features of agents known to cause cancer in humans. From 2015 to 2022, a total of 19 Monographs (73 agents combined) used Key Characteristics for cancer hazard classification. We hypothesized that a retrospective analysis of applications of the Key Characteristics approach to cancer hazard classification using heterogenous mechanistic data on diverse agents would be informative for systematic reviews in decision-making. We extracted information on the conclusions, data types, and the role mechanistic data played in the cancer hazard classification from each Monograph. Statistical analyses identified patterns in the use of Key Characteristics, as well as trends and correlations among Key Characteristics, data types, and ultimate decisions. Despite gaps in data for many agents and Key Characteristics, several significant results emerged. Mechanistic data from in vivo animal, in vitro animal, and in vitro human studies were most impactful in concluding that an agent could cause cancer via a Key Characteristic. To exclude the involvement of a Key Characteristic, data from large-scale systematic in vitro testing programs such as ToxCast, were most informative. Overall, increased availability of systemized data streams, such as human in vitro data, would provide the basis for more confident and informed conclusions about both positive and negative associations and inform expert judgments on cancer hazard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Physiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Fred A Wright
- Department of Statistics, Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA
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Rusyn I, Wright FA. Ten Years of Using Key Characteristics of Human Carcinogens to Organize and Evaluate Mechanistic Evidence in IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans: Patterns and Associations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.11.548354. [PMID: 37503163 PMCID: PMC10369858 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.11.548354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Systematic review and evaluation of the mechanistic evidence only recently been instituted in cancer hazard identification step of decision-making. One example of organizing and evaluating mechanistic evidence is the Key Characteristics approach of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans. The Key Characteristics of Human Carcinogens were proposed almost 10 years ago and have been used in every IARC Monograph since 2015. We investigated the patterns and associations in the use of Key Characteristics by the independent expert Working Groups. We examined 19 Monographs (2015-2022) that evaluated 73 agents. We extracted information on the conclusions by each Working Group on the strength of evidence for agent-Key Characteristic combinations, data types that were available for decisions, and the role mechanistic data played in the final cancer hazard classification. We conducted both descriptive and association analyses within and across data types. We found that IARC Working Groups were cautious when evaluating mechanistic evidence: for only ∼13% of the agents was strong evidence assigned for any Key Characteristic. Genotoxicity and cell proliferation were most data-rich, while little evidence was available for DNA repair and immortalization Key Characteristics. Analysis of the associations among Key Characteristics revealed that only chemical's metabolic activation was significantly co-occurring with genotoxicity and cell proliferation/death. Evidence from exposed humans was limited, while mechanistic evidence from rodent studies in vivo was often available. Only genotoxicity and cell proliferation/death were strongly associated with decisions on whether mechanistic data was impactful on the final cancer hazard classification. The practice of using the Key Characteristics approach is now well-established at IARC Monographs and other government agencies and the analyses presented herein will inform the future use of mechanistic evidence in regulatory decision-making.
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Felter SP, Bhat VS, Botham PA, Bussard DA, Casey W, Hayes AW, Hilton GM, Magurany KA, Sauer UG, Ohanian EV. Assessing chemical carcinogenicity: hazard identification, classification, and risk assessment. Insight from a Toxicology Forum state-of-the-science workshop. Crit Rev Toxicol 2022; 51:653-694. [DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2021.2003295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David A. Bussard
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Science Advisor, Policy and Engagement, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Warren Casey
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - A. Wallace Hayes
- University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Gina M. Hilton
- PETA Science Consortium International e.V., Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | | | - Edward V. Ohanian
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington, DC, USA
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Lee CY, Suk FM, Twu YC, Liao YJ. Long-Term Exposure to Low-Dose Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate Impairs Cholesterol Metabolism in Hepatic Stellate Cells and Exacerbates Liver Librosis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17113802. [PMID: 32471116 PMCID: PMC7312183 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17113802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Phthalates are often added to plastic products to increase their flexibility. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most common plasticizers. Previously, a major incident involving phthalate-contaminated foodstuffs occurred, where phthalates were deliberately added to foodstuffs as a substitute for emulsifiers, resulting in a threat to public health. DEHP exposure can cause liver damage and further lead to cancer; however, the effects of long-term exposure to low-dose DEHP on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and on liver fibrosis are still unclear. In this study, we showed that chronic exposure to low-dose DEHP results in an accumulation of cholesterol in HSCs by disturbing the cholesterol metabolism and enhancing endogenous cholesterol synthesis. In addition, long-term exposure to low-dose DEHP reduces the sensitivity of HSCs to platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB)-induced proliferation by blocking the MAPK pathway. Dysfunction of mitochondrial respiration and induction of caspase 3/PARP-dependent apoptosis were observed in HSCs following chronic, low-dose exposure. The carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis mouse model showed that long-term administration of DEHP significantly promoted liver damage, inflammatory infiltration, cholesterol accumulation, and deposition of hepatic collagen. In conclusion, long-term exposure to low-dose DEHP may perturb the cholesterol metabolism in HSCs and accelerate liver damage and fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Ya Lee
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
| | - Fat-Moon Suk
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan;
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yuh-Ching Twu
- Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan;
| | - Yi-Jen Liao
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Correspondence:
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Helm JS, Rudel RA. Adverse outcome pathways for ionizing radiation and breast cancer involve direct and indirect DNA damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, genomic instability, and interaction with hormonal regulation of the breast. Arch Toxicol 2020. [PMID: 32399610 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-020-02752-z)] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge about established breast carcinogens can support improved and modernized toxicological testing methods by identifying key mechanistic events. Ionizing radiation (IR) increases the risk of breast cancer, especially for women and for exposure at younger ages, and evidence overall supports a linear dose-response relationship. We used the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework to outline and evaluate the evidence linking ionizing radiation with breast cancer from molecular initiating events to the adverse outcome through intermediate key events, creating a qualitative AOP. We identified key events based on review articles, searched PubMed for recent literature on key events and IR, and identified additional papers using references. We manually curated publications and evaluated data quality. Ionizing radiation directly and indirectly causes DNA damage and increases production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). RONS lead to DNA damage and epigenetic changes leading to mutations and genomic instability (GI). Proliferation amplifies the effects of DNA damage and mutations leading to the AO of breast cancer. Separately, RONS and DNA damage also increase inflammation. Inflammation contributes to direct and indirect effects (effects in cells not directly reached by IR) via positive feedback to RONS and DNA damage, and separately increases proliferation and breast cancer through pro-carcinogenic effects on cells and tissue. For example, gene expression changes alter inflammatory mediators, resulting in improved survival and growth of cancer cells and a more hospitable tissue environment. All of these events overlap at multiple points with events characteristic of "background" induction of breast carcinogenesis, including hormone-responsive proliferation, oxidative activity, and DNA damage. These overlaps make the breast particularly susceptible to ionizing radiation and reinforce that these biological activities are important characteristics of carcinogens. Agents that increase these biological processes should be considered potential breast carcinogens, and predictive methods are needed to identify chemicals that increase these processes. Techniques are available to measure RONS, DNA damage and mutation, cell proliferation, and some inflammatory proteins or processes. Improved assays are needed to measure GI and chronic inflammation, as well as the interaction with hormonally driven development and proliferation. Several methods measure diverse epigenetic changes, but it is not clear which changes are relevant to breast cancer. In addition, most toxicological assays are not conducted in mammary tissue, and so it is a priority to evaluate if results from other tissues are generalizable to breast, or to conduct assays in breast tissue. Developing and applying these assays to identify exposures of concern will facilitate efforts to reduce subsequent breast cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Helm
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Suite 302, Newton, MA, 02460, USA
| | - Ruthann A Rudel
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Suite 302, Newton, MA, 02460, USA.
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Helm JS, Rudel RA. Adverse outcome pathways for ionizing radiation and breast cancer involve direct and indirect DNA damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, genomic instability, and interaction with hormonal regulation of the breast. Arch Toxicol 2020; 94:1511-1549. [PMID: 32399610 PMCID: PMC7261741 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-020-02752-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge about established breast carcinogens can support improved and modernized toxicological testing methods by identifying key mechanistic events. Ionizing radiation (IR) increases the risk of breast cancer, especially for women and for exposure at younger ages, and evidence overall supports a linear dose-response relationship. We used the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework to outline and evaluate the evidence linking ionizing radiation with breast cancer from molecular initiating events to the adverse outcome through intermediate key events, creating a qualitative AOP. We identified key events based on review articles, searched PubMed for recent literature on key events and IR, and identified additional papers using references. We manually curated publications and evaluated data quality. Ionizing radiation directly and indirectly causes DNA damage and increases production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). RONS lead to DNA damage and epigenetic changes leading to mutations and genomic instability (GI). Proliferation amplifies the effects of DNA damage and mutations leading to the AO of breast cancer. Separately, RONS and DNA damage also increase inflammation. Inflammation contributes to direct and indirect effects (effects in cells not directly reached by IR) via positive feedback to RONS and DNA damage, and separately increases proliferation and breast cancer through pro-carcinogenic effects on cells and tissue. For example, gene expression changes alter inflammatory mediators, resulting in improved survival and growth of cancer cells and a more hospitable tissue environment. All of these events overlap at multiple points with events characteristic of "background" induction of breast carcinogenesis, including hormone-responsive proliferation, oxidative activity, and DNA damage. These overlaps make the breast particularly susceptible to ionizing radiation and reinforce that these biological activities are important characteristics of carcinogens. Agents that increase these biological processes should be considered potential breast carcinogens, and predictive methods are needed to identify chemicals that increase these processes. Techniques are available to measure RONS, DNA damage and mutation, cell proliferation, and some inflammatory proteins or processes. Improved assays are needed to measure GI and chronic inflammation, as well as the interaction with hormonally driven development and proliferation. Several methods measure diverse epigenetic changes, but it is not clear which changes are relevant to breast cancer. In addition, most toxicological assays are not conducted in mammary tissue, and so it is a priority to evaluate if results from other tissues are generalizable to breast, or to conduct assays in breast tissue. Developing and applying these assays to identify exposures of concern will facilitate efforts to reduce subsequent breast cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Helm
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Suite 302, Newton, MA, 02460, USA
| | - Ruthann A Rudel
- Silent Spring Institute, 320 Nevada Street, Suite 302, Newton, MA, 02460, USA.
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Carlson LM, Champagne FA, Cory-Slechta DA, Dishaw L, Faustman E, Mundy W, Segal D, Sobin C, Starkey C, Taylor M, Makris SL, Kraft A. Potential frameworks to support evaluation of mechanistic data for developmental neurotoxicity outcomes: A symposium report. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2020; 78:106865. [PMID: 32068112 PMCID: PMC7160758 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2020.106865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A key challenge in systematically incorporating mechanistic data into human health assessments is that, compared to studies of apical health endpoints, these data are both more abundant (mechanistic studies routinely outnumber other studies by several orders of magnitude) and more heterogeneous (e.g. different species, test system, tissue, cell type, exposure paradigm, or specific assays performed). A structured decision-making process for organizing, integrating, and weighing mechanistic DNT data for use in human health risk assessments will improve the consistency and efficiency of such evaluations. At the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society (DNTS) 2016 annual meeting, a symposium was held to address the application of existing organizing principles and frameworks for evaluation of mechanistic data relevant to interpreting neurotoxicology data. Speakers identified considerations with potential to advance the use of mechanistic DNT data in risk assessment, including considering the context of each exposure, since epigenetics, tissue type, sex, stress, nutrition and other factors can modify toxicity responses in organisms. It was also suggested that, because behavior is a manifestation of complex nervous system function, the presence and absence of behavioral change itself could be used to organize the interpretation of multiple complex simultaneous mechanistic changes. Several challenges were identified with frameworks and their implementation, and ongoing research to develop these approaches represents an early step toward full evaluation of mechanistic DNT data for assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Carlson
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC.
| | | | - Deborah A Cory-Slechta
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical School Rochester, NY
| | - Laura Dishaw
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC
| | - Elaine Faustman
- School of Public Health, Institute for Risk Analysis and Risk Communication, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - William Mundy
- Neurotoxicologist, Durham, NC (formerly National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC))
| | - Deborah Segal
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
| | - Christina Sobin
- Dept of Public Health Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Carol Starkey
- Booz Allen Hamilton (formerly research fellow with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Engineering (ORISE) with Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC))
| | - Michele Taylor
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC
| | - Susan L Makris
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
| | - Andrew Kraft
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC; Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC
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Samet JM, Chiu WA, Cogliano V, Jinot J, Kriebel D, Lunn RM, Beland FA, Bero L, Browne P, Fritschi L, Kanno J, Lachenmeier DW, Lan Q, Lasfargues G, Le Curieux F, Peters S, Shubat P, Sone H, White MC, Williamson J, Yakubovskaya M, Siemiatycki J, White PA, Guyton KZ, Schubauer-Berigan MK, Hall AL, Grosse Y, Bouvard V, Benbrahim-Tallaa L, El Ghissassi F, Lauby-Secretan B, Armstrong B, Saracci R, Zavadil J, Straif K, Wild CP. The IARC Monographs: Updated Procedures for Modern and Transparent Evidence Synthesis in Cancer Hazard Identification. J Natl Cancer Inst 2020; 112:30-37. [PMID: 31498409 PMCID: PMC6968684 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djz169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Monographs produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) apply rigorous procedures for the scientific review and evaluation of carcinogenic hazards by independent experts. The Preamble to the IARC Monographs, which outlines these procedures, was updated in 2019, following recommendations of a 2018 expert advisory group. This article presents the key features of the updated Preamble, a major milestone that will enable IARC to take advantage of recent scientific and procedural advances made during the 12 years since the last Preamble amendments. The updated Preamble formalizes important developments already being pioneered in the Monographs program. These developments were taken forward in a clarified and strengthened process for identifying, reviewing, evaluating, and integrating evidence to identify causes of human cancer. The advancements adopted include the strengthening of systematic review methodologies; greater emphasis on mechanistic evidence, based on key characteristics of carcinogens; greater consideration of quality and informativeness in the critical evaluation of epidemiological studies, including their exposure assessment methods; improved harmonization of evaluation criteria for the different evidence streams; and a single-step process of integrating evidence on cancer in humans, cancer in experimental animals, and mechanisms for reaching overall evaluations. In all, the updated Preamble underpins a stronger and more transparent method for the identification of carcinogenic hazards, the essential first step in cancer prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Weihsueh A Chiu
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Vincent Cogliano
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency
| | - Jennifer Jinot
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency
| | - David Kriebel
- Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell
| | - Ruth M Lunn
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
| | - Frederick A Beland
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR
| | - Lisa Bero
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Patience Browne
- Environmental Directorate, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, France
| | - Lin Fritschi
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Australia
| | - Jun Kanno
- Japan Bioassay Research Center, Japan Organization of Occupational Health and Safety, Japan
| | | | - Qing Lan
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute
| | - Gérard Lasfargues
- Science for Expertise Division, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, France
| | | | - Susan Peters
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Pamela Shubat
- Environmental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health
| | - Hideko Sone
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Yokohama University of Pharmacy, Japan
| | - Mary C White
- Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
| | | | | | | | - Paul A White
- Environmental Health Sciences and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Canada
| | | | | | - Amy L Hall
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Yann Grosse
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jiri Zavadil
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Kurt Straif
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
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Wikoff DS, Rager JE, Chappell GA, Fitch S, Haws L, Borghoff SJ. A Framework for Systematic Evaluation and Quantitative Integration of Mechanistic Data in Assessments of Potential Human Carcinogens. Toxicol Sci 2018; 167:322-335. [DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
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Bus JS. IARC use of oxidative stress as key mode of action characteristic for facilitating cancer classification: Glyphosate case example illustrating a lack of robustness in interpretative implementation. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2017; 86:157-166. [PMID: 28274811 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has formulated 10 key characteristics of human carcinogens to incorporate mechanistic data into cancer hazard classifications. The analysis used glyphosate as a case example to examine the robustness of IARC's determination of oxidative stress as "strong" evidence supporting a plausible cancer mechanism in humans. The IARC analysis primarily relied on 14 human/mammalian studies; 19 non-mammalian studies were uninformative of human cancer given the broad spectrum of test species and extensive use of formulations and aquatic testing. The mammalian studies had substantial experimental limitations for informing cancer mechanism including use of: single doses and time points; cytotoxic/toxic test doses; tissues not identified as potential cancer targets; glyphosate formulations or mixtures; technically limited oxidative stress biomarkers. The doses were many orders of magnitude higher than human exposures determined in human biomonitoring studies. The glyphosate case example reveals that the IARC evaluation fell substantially short of "strong" supporting evidence of oxidative stress as a plausible human cancer mechanism, and suggests that other IARC monographs relying on the 10 key characteristics approach should be similarly examined for a lack of robust data integration fundamental to reasonable mode of action evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Bus
- Exponent, Inc., 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States.
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Li W, Mauerhofer V. Behavioral patterns of environmental performance evaluation programs. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2016; 182:429-435. [PMID: 27513220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.07.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
During the past decades numerous environmental performance evaluation programs have been developed and implemented on different geographic scales. This paper develops a taxonomy of environmental management behavioral patterns in order to provide a practical comparison tool for environmental performance evaluation programs. Ten such programs purposively selected are mapped against the identified four behavioral patterns in the form of diagnosis, negotiation, learning, and socialization and learning. Overall, we found that schemes which serve to diagnose environmental abnormalities are mainly externally imposed and have been developed as a result of technical debates concerning data sources, methodology and ranking criteria. Learning oriented scheme is featured by processes through which free exchange of ideas, mutual and adaptive learning can occur. Scheme developed by higher authority for influencing behaviors of lower levels of government has been adopted by the evaluated to signal their excellent environmental performance. The socializing and learning classified evaluation schemes have incorporated dialogue, participation, and capacity building in program design. In conclusion we consider the 'fitness for purpose' of the various schemes, the merits of our analytical model and the future possibilities of fostering capacity building in the realm of wicked environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanxin Li
- Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Volker Mauerhofer
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Giessaufg. 28/5/34, 1050 Vienna, Austria.
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12
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Smith MT, Guyton KZ, Gibbons CF, Fritz JM, Portier CJ, Rusyn I, DeMarini DM, Caldwell JC, Kavlock RJ, Lambert PF, Hecht SS, Bucher JR, Stewart BW, Baan RA, Cogliano VJ, Straif K. Key Characteristics of Carcinogens as a Basis for Organizing Data on Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:713-21. [PMID: 26600562 PMCID: PMC4892922 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1509912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 375] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A recent review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) updated the assessments of the > 100 agents classified as Group 1, carcinogenic to humans (IARC Monographs Volume 100, parts A-F). This exercise was complicated by the absence of a broadly accepted, systematic method for evaluating mechanistic data to support conclusions regarding human hazard from exposure to carcinogens. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS IARC therefore convened two workshops in which an international Working Group of experts identified 10 key characteristics, one or more of which are commonly exhibited by established human carcinogens. DISCUSSION These characteristics provide the basis for an objective approach to identifying and organizing results from pertinent mechanistic studies. The 10 characteristics are the abilities of an agent to 1) act as an electrophile either directly or after metabolic activation; 2) be genotoxic; 3) alter DNA repair or cause genomic instability; 4) induce epigenetic alterations; 5) induce oxidative stress; 6) induce chronic inflammation; 7) be immunosuppressive; 8) modulate receptor-mediated effects; 9) cause immortalization; and 10) alter cell proliferation, cell death, or nutrient supply. CONCLUSION We describe the use of the 10 key characteristics to conduct a systematic literature search focused on relevant end points and construct a graphical representation of the identified mechanistic information. Next, we use benzene and polychlorinated biphenyls as examples to illustrate how this approach may work in practice. The approach described is similar in many respects to those currently being implemented by the U.S. EPA's Integrated Risk Information System Program and the U.S. National Toxicology Program. CITATION Smith MT, Guyton KZ, Gibbons CF, Fritz JM, Portier CJ, Rusyn I, DeMarini DM, Caldwell JC, Kavlock RJ, Lambert P, Hecht SS, Bucher JR, Stewart BW, Baan R, Cogliano VJ, Straif K. 2016. Key characteristics of carcinogens as a basis for organizing data on mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Environ Health Perspect 124:713-721; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509912.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyn T. Smith
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Catherine F. Gibbons
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jason M. Fritz
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - David M. DeMarini
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jane C. Caldwell
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert J. Kavlock
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Paul F. Lambert
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Stephen S. Hecht
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - John R. Bucher
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Bernard W. Stewart
- Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Robert A. Baan
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Vincent J. Cogliano
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA, and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kurt Straif
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France
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Yeager RP, Kushman M, Chemerynski S, Weil R, Fu X, White M, Callahan-Lyon P, Rosenfeldt H. Proposed Mode of Action for Acrolein Respiratory Toxicity Associated with Inhaled Tobacco Smoke. Toxicol Sci 2016; 151:347-64. [DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfw051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
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