1
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Wood A, Breffa C, Chaine C, Cubberley R, Dent M, Eichhorn J, Fayyaz S, Grimm FA, Houghton J, Kiwamoto R, Kukic P, Lee M, Malcomber S, Martin S, Nicol B, Reynolds J, Riley G, Scott S, Smith C, Westmoreland C, Wieland W, Williams M, Wolton K, Zellmann T, Gutsell S. Next generation risk assessment for occupational chemical safety - A real world example with sodium-2-hydroxyethane sulfonate. Toxicology 2024; 506:153835. [PMID: 38857863 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) is an exposure-led approach to safety assessment that uses New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). Application of NGRA has been largely restricted to assessments of consumer use of cosmetics and is not currently implemented in occupational safety assessments, e.g. under EU REACH. By contrast, a large proportion of regulatory worker safety assessments are underpinned by toxicological studies using experimental animals. Consequently, occupational safety assessment represents an area that would benefit from increasing application of NGRA to safety decision making. Here, a workflow for conducting NGRA under an occupational safety context was developed, which is illustrated with a case study chemical; sodium 2-hydroxyethane sulphonate (sodium isethionate or SI). Exposures were estimated using a standard occupational exposure model following a comprehensive life cycle assessment of SI and considering factory-specific data. Outputs of this model were then used to estimate internal exposures using a Physiologically Based Kinetic (PBK) model, which was constructed with SI specific Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion (ADME) data. PBK modelling indicated a worst-case plasma maximum concentration (Cmax) of 0.8 μM across the SI life cycle. SI bioactivity was assessed in a battery of NAMs relevant to systemic, reproductive, and developmental toxicity; a cell stress panel, high throughput transcriptomics in three cell lines (HepG2, HepaRG and MCF-7 cells), pharmacological profiling and specific assays relating to developmental toxicity (Reprotracker and devTOX quickPredict). Points of Departure (PoDs) for SI ranged from 104 to 5044 µM. Cmax values obtained from PBK modelling of occupational exposures to SI were compared with PoDs from the bioactivity assays to derive Bioactivity Exposure Ratios (BERs) which demonstrated the safety for workers exposed to SI under current levels of factory specific risk management. In summary, the tiered and iterative workflow developed here represents an opportunity for integrating non animal approaches for a large subset of substances for which systemic worker safety assessment is required. Such an approach could be followed to ensure that animal testing is only conducted as a "last resort" e.g. under EU REACH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Wood
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK.
| | - Catherine Breffa
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Caroline Chaine
- Vantage Specialty Chemicals, 3 rue Jules Guesde, Ris Orangis 91130, France
| | - Richard Cubberley
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Matthew Dent
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Joachim Eichhorn
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susann Fayyaz
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fabian A Grimm
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jade Houghton
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Reiko Kiwamoto
- Unilever, Bronland 14, Wageningen 6708 WH, the Netherlands
| | - Predrag Kukic
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - MoungSook Lee
- Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sophie Malcomber
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Suzanne Martin
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Beate Nicol
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Joe Reynolds
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Gordon Riley
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Sharon Scott
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- ERM Ireland Limited, Ardilaun Court, St Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Carl Westmoreland
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | | | - Mesha Williams
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Kathryn Wolton
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | | | - Steve Gutsell
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
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2
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Bianchi E, Costa E, Harrill J, Deford P, LaRocca J, Chen W, Sutake Z, Lehman A, Pappas-Garton A, Sherer E, Moreillon C, Sriram S, Dhroso A, Johnson K. Discovery Phase Agrochemical Predictive Safety Assessment Using High Content In Vitro Data to Estimate an In Vivo Toxicity Point of Departure. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024. [PMID: 39033510 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Utilization of in vitro (cellular) techniques, like Cell Painting and transcriptomics, could provide powerful tools for agrochemical candidate sorting and selection in the discovery process. However, using these models generates challenges translating in vitro concentrations to the corresponding in vivo exposures. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling provides a framework for quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE). We tested whether in vivo (rat liver) transcriptomic and apical points of departure (PODs) could be accurately predicted from in vitro (rat hepatocyte or human HepaRG) transcriptomic PODs or HepaRG Cell Painting PODs using PBPK modeling. We compared two PBPK models, the ADMET predictor and the httk R package, and found httk to predict the in vivo PODs more accurately. Our findings suggest that a rat liver apical and transcriptomic POD can be estimated utilizing a combination of in vitro transcriptome-based PODs coupled with PBPK modeling for IVIVE. Thus, high content in vitro data can be translated with modest accuracy to in vivo models of ultimate regulatory importance to help select agrochemical analogs in early stage discovery program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Bianchi
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | | | - Joshua Harrill
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park ,North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Paul Deford
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | - Jessica LaRocca
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | - Wei Chen
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | - Zachary Sutake
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | - Audrey Lehman
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | | | - Eric Sherer
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | | | | | - Andi Dhroso
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
| | - Kamin Johnson
- Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis ,Indiana 46268, United States
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3
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Mack CM, Tsui-Bowen A, Smith AR, Jensen KF, Kodavanti PRS, Moser VC, Mundy WR, Shafer TJ, Herr DW. Identification of neural-relevant toxcast high-throughput assay intended gene targets: Applicability to neurotoxicity and neurotoxicant putative molecular initiating events. Neurotoxicology 2024; 103:256-265. [PMID: 38977203 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The US EPA's Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) is a suite of high-throughput in vitro assays to screen environmental toxicants and predict potential toxicity of uncharacterized chemicals. This work examines the relevance of ToxCast assay intended gene targets to putative molecular initiating events (MIEs) of neurotoxicants. This effort is needed as there is growing interest in the regulatory and scientific communities about developing new approach methodologies (NAMs) to screen large numbers of chemicals for neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity. Assay gene function (GeneCards, NCBI-PUBMED) was used to categorize gene target neural relevance (1 = neural, 2 = neural development, 3 = general cellular process, 3 A = cellular process critical during neural development, 4 = unlikely significance). Of 481 unique gene targets, 80 = category 1 (16.6 %); 16 = category 2 (3.3 %); 303 = category 3 (63.0 %); 97 = category 3 A (20.2 %); 82 = category 4 (17.0 %). A representative list of neurotoxicants (548) was researched (ex. PUBMED, PubChem) for neurotoxicity associated MIEs/Key Events (KEs). MIEs were identified for 375 compounds, whereas only KEs for 173. ToxCast gene targets associated with MIEs were primarily neurotransmitter (ex. dopaminergic, GABA)receptors and ion channels (calcium, sodium, potassium). Conversely, numerous MIEs associated with neurotoxicity were absent. Oxidative stress (OS) mechanisms were 79.1 % of KEs. In summary, 40 % of ToxCast assay gene targets are relevant to neurotoxicity mechanisms. Additional receptor and ion channel subtypes and increased OS pathway coverage are identified for potential future assay inclusion to provide more complete coverage of neural and developmental neural targets in assessing neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cina M Mack
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | | | - Alicia R Smith
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA.
| | - Karl F Jensen
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Prasada Rao S Kodavanti
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - Virginia C Moser
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - William R Mundy
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - Timothy J Shafer
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
| | - David W Herr
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
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4
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Alexander-White C. In NAMs we trust - an innovative paradigm-shift in risk-based chemicals management for globally harmonized protection goals. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2024; 20:545-547. [PMID: 38716722 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2024.2353765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
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5
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Nicol B, Vandenbossche-Goddard E, Thorpe C, Newman R, Patel H, Yates D. A workflow to practically apply true dose considerations to in vitro testing for next generation risk assessment. Toxicology 2024; 505:153826. [PMID: 38719068 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
With the move away from safety testing assessment based on data generated in experimental animals the concept of Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) has arisen which instead uses data from in silico and in vitro models. A key uncertainty in risk assessment is the actual dose of test chemical at the target site, and therefore surrogate dose metrics, such as nominal concentration in test media are used to describe in vitro effect (or no-effect) doses. The reliability and accuracy of the risk assessment therefore depends largely on our ability to understand and characterise the relationship between the dose metrics used and the actual biologically effective dose at the target site. The objective of this publication is to use 40 case study chemicals to illustrate how in vitro dose considerations can be applied to characterise the "true dose" and build confidence in the understanding of the biologically effective dose in in vitro test systems for the determination e.g. points of departure (PoDs) for NGRA. We propose a workflow that can be applied to assess whether the nominal test concentration can be considered a conservative dose metric for use in NGRA. The workflow examines the implications of volatility, stability, hydrophobicity, binding to plastic and serum, solubility, and the potential use of in silico models for some of these parameters. For the majority of the case study chemicals we found that the use of nominal concentrations in risk assessment would result in conservative decision making. However, for serval chemicals a potential for underestimation of the risk in humans in vivo based on in vitro nominal effect concentrations was identified, and approaches for refinement by characterisation of the actual effect concentration are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Nicol
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Evita Vandenbossche-Goddard
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK.
| | - Charlotte Thorpe
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | | | - Hiral Patel
- Charles River Laboratories, Cambridgeshire CB10 1XL, UK
| | - Dawn Yates
- Charles River Laboratories, Cambridgeshire CB10 1XL, UK
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6
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Aurisano N, Fantke P, Chiu WA, Judson R, Jang S, Unnikrishnan A, Jolliet O. Probabilistic Reference and 10% Effect Concentrations for Characterizing Inhalation Non-cancer and Developmental/Reproductive Effects for 2,160 Substances. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:8278-8288. [PMID: 38697947 PMCID: PMC11097392 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Chemicals assessment and management frameworks rely on regulatory toxicity values, which are based on points of departure (POD) identified following rigorous dose-response assessments. Yet, regulatory PODs and toxicity values for inhalation exposure (i.e., reference concentrations [RfCs]) are available for only ∼200 chemicals. To address this gap, we applied a workflow to determine surrogate inhalation route PODs and corresponding toxicity values, where regulatory assessments are lacking. We curated and selected inhalation in vivo data from the U.S. EPA's ToxValDB and adjusted reported effect values to chronic human equivalent benchmark concentrations (BMCh) following the WHO/IPCS framework. Using ToxValDB chemicals with existing PODs associated with regulatory toxicity values, we found that the 25th %-ile of a chemical's BMCh distribution (POD p 25 BMC h ) could serve as a suitable surrogate for regulatory PODs (Q2 ≥ 0.76, RSE ≤ 0.82 log10 units). We applied this approach to derive POD p 25 BMC h for 2,095 substances with general non-cancer toxicity effects and 638 substances with reproductive/developmental toxicity effects, yielding a total coverage of 2,160 substances. From these POD p 25 BMC h , we derived probabilistic RfCs and human population effect concentrations. With this work, we have expanded the number of chemicals with toxicity values available, thereby enabling a much broader coverage for inhalation risk and impact assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Aurisano
- Quantitative
Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource
Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, Kgs., Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Peter Fantke
- Quantitative
Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource
Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, Kgs., Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Weihsueh A. Chiu
- Department
of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine
and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United
States
| | - Richard Judson
- National
Center for Computational Toxicology, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Suji Jang
- Department
of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine
and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United
States
| | - Aswani Unnikrishnan
- National
Center for Computational Toxicology, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Olivier Jolliet
- Quantitative
Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource
Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, Kgs., Lyngby 2800, Denmark
- Department
of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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7
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Luo YS, Ying RY, Chen XT, Yeh YJ, Wei CC, Chan CC. Integrating high-throughput phenotypic profiling and transcriptomic analyses to predict the hepatosteatosis effects induced by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133891. [PMID: 38457971 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a large compound class (n > 12,000) that is extensively present in food, drinking water, and aquatic environments. Reduced serum triglycerides and hepatosteatosis appear to be the common phenotypes for different PFAS chemicals. However, the hepatosteatosis potential of most PFAS chemicals remains largely unknown. This study aims to investigate PFAS-induced hepatosteatosis using in vitro high-throughput phenotype profiling (HTPP) and high-throughput transcriptomic (HTTr) data. We quantified the in vitro hepatosteatosis effects and mitochondrial damage using high-content imaging, curated the transcriptomic data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and then calculated the point of departure (POD) values for HTPP phenotypes or HTTr transcripts, using the Bayesian benchmark dose modeling approach. Our results indicated that PFAS compounds with fully saturated C-F bonds, sulfur- and nitrogen-containing functional groups, and a fluorinated carbon chain length greater than 8 have the potential to produce biological effects consistent with hepatosteatosis. PFAS primarily induced hepatosteatosis via disturbance in lipid transport and storage. The potency rankings of PFAS compounds are highly concordant among in vitro HTPP, HTTr, and in vivo hepatosteatosis phenotypes (ρ = 0.60-0.73). In conclusion, integrating the information from in vitro HTPP and HTTr analyses can accurately project in vivo hepatosteatosis effects induced by PFAS compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Syuan Luo
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Master of Public Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
| | - Ren-Yan Ying
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Xsuan-Ting Chen
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jia Yeh
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Cheng Wei
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Chuan Chan
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
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8
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Kvasnicka J, Aurisano N, von Borries K, Lu EH, Fantke P, Jolliet O, Wright FA, Chiu WA. Two-Stage Machine Learning-Based Approach to Predict Points of Departure for Human Noncancer and Developmental/Reproductive Effects. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38693844 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Chemical points of departure (PODs) for critical health effects are crucial for evaluating and managing human health risks and impacts from exposure. However, PODs are unavailable for most chemicals in commerce due to a lack of in vivo toxicity data. We therefore developed a two-stage machine learning (ML) framework to predict human-equivalent PODs for oral exposure to organic chemicals based on chemical structure. Utilizing ML-based predictions for structural/physical/chemical/toxicological properties from OPERA 2.9 as features (Stage 1), ML models using random forest regression were trained with human-equivalent PODs derived from in vivo data sets for general noncancer effects (n = 1,791) and reproductive/developmental effects (n = 2,228), with robust cross-validation for feature selection and estimating generalization errors (Stage 2). These two-stage models accurately predicted PODs for both effect categories with cross-validation-based root-mean-squared errors less than an order of magnitude. We then applied one or both models to 34,046 chemicals expected to be in the environment, revealing several thousand chemicals of moderate concern and several hundred chemicals of high concern for health effects at estimated median population exposure levels. Further application can expand by orders of magnitude the coverage of organic chemicals that can be evaluated for their human health risks and impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Kvasnicka
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Nicolò Aurisano
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kerstin von Borries
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - En-Hsuan Lu
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Peter Fantke
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Olivier Jolliet
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Fred A Wright
- Departments of Statistics and Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Weihsueh A Chiu
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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9
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Cohn EF, Clayton BLL, Madhavan M, Lee KA, Yacoub S, Fedorov Y, Scavuzzo MA, Paul Friedman K, Shafer TJ, Tesar PJ. Pervasive environmental chemicals impair oligodendrocyte development. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:836-845. [PMID: 38528201 PMCID: PMC11088982 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01599-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental chemicals can impair neurodevelopment, and oligodendrocytes may be particularly vulnerable, as their development extends from gestation into adulthood. However, few environmental chemicals have been assessed for potential risks to oligodendrocytes. Here, using a high-throughput developmental screen in cultured cells, we identified environmental chemicals in two classes that disrupt oligodendrocyte development through distinct mechanisms. Quaternary compounds, ubiquitous in disinfecting agents and personal care products, were potently and selectively cytotoxic to developing oligodendrocytes, whereas organophosphate flame retardants, commonly found in household items such as furniture and electronics, prematurely arrested oligodendrocyte maturation. Chemicals from each class impaired oligodendrocyte development postnatally in mice and in a human 3D organoid model of prenatal cortical development. Analysis of epidemiological data showed that adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes were associated with childhood exposure to the top organophosphate flame retardant identified by our screen. This work identifies toxicological vulnerabilities for oligodendrocyte development and highlights the need for deeper scrutiny of these compounds' impacts on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin F Cohn
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Benjamin L L Clayton
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mayur Madhavan
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kristin A Lee
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sara Yacoub
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yuriy Fedorov
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Marissa A Scavuzzo
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Katie Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Timothy J Shafer
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Paul J Tesar
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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10
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Flynn K, Le M, Hazemi M, Biales A, Bencic DC, Blackwell BR, Bush K, Flick R, Hoang JX, Martinson J, Morshead M, Rodriguez KS, Stacy E, Villeneuve DL. Comparing Transcriptomic Points of Departure to Apical Effect Concentrations For Larval Fathead Minnow Exposed to Chemicals with Four Different Modes Of Action. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2024; 86:346-362. [PMID: 38743081 PMCID: PMC11305162 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-024-01064-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
It is postulated that below a transcriptomic-based point of departure, adverse effects are unlikely to occur, thereby providing a chemical concentration to use in screening level hazard assessment. The present study extends previous work describing a high-throughput fathead minnow assay that can provide full transcriptomic data after exposure to a test chemical. One-day post-hatch fathead minnows were exposed to ten concentrations of three representatives of four chemical modes of action: organophosphates, ecdysone receptor agonists, plant photosystem II inhibitors, and estrogen receptor agonists for 24 h. Concentration response modeling was performed on whole body gene expression data from each exposure, using measured chemical concentrations when available. Transcriptomic points of departure in larval fathead minnow were lower than apical effect concentrations across fish species but not always lower than toxic effect concentrations in other aquatic taxa like crustaceans and insects. The point of departure was highly dependent on measured chemical concentration which were often lower than the nominal concentration. Differentially expressed genes between chemicals within modes of action were compared and often showed statistically significant overlap. In addition, reproducibility between identical exposures using a positive control chemical (CuSO4) and variability associated with the transcriptomic point of departure using in silico sampling were considered. Results extend a transcriptomic-compatible fathead minnow high-throughput assay for possible use in ecological hazard screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Flynn
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA GLTED, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA.
| | - Michelle Le
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Monique Hazemi
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Adam Biales
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - David C Bencic
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Brett R Blackwell
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology Group, Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Kendra Bush
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Robert Flick
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - John X Hoang
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - John Martinson
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Mackenzie Morshead
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Kelvin Santana Rodriguez
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Emma Stacy
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA GLTED, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Daniel L Villeneuve
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, US EPA GLTED, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
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11
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Judson RS, Smith D, DeVito M, Wambaugh JF, Wetmore BA, Paul Friedman K, Patlewicz G, Thomas RS, Sayre RR, Olker JH, Degitz S, Padilla S, Harrill JA, Shafer T, Carstens KE. A Comparison of In Vitro Points of Departure with Human Blood Levels for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). TOXICS 2024; 12:271. [PMID: 38668494 PMCID: PMC11053643 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12040271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used, and their fluorinated state contributes to unique uses and stability but also long half-lives in the environment and humans. PFAS have been shown to be toxic, leading to immunosuppression, cancer, and other adverse health outcomes. Only a small fraction of the PFAS in commerce have been evaluated for toxicity using in vivo tests, which leads to a need to prioritize which compounds to examine further. Here, we demonstrate a prioritization approach that combines human biomonitoring data (blood concentrations) with bioactivity data (concentrations at which bioactivity is observed in vitro) for 31 PFAS. The in vitro data are taken from a battery of cell-based assays, mostly run on human cells. The result is a Bioactive Concentration to Blood Concentration Ratio (BCBCR), similar to a margin of exposure (MoE). Chemicals with low BCBCR values could then be prioritized for further risk assessment. Using this method, two of the PFAS, PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid), have BCBCR values < 1 for some populations. An additional 9 PFAS have BCBCR values < 100 for some populations. This study shows a promising approach to screening level risk assessments of compounds such as PFAS that are long-lived in humans and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard S. Judson
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA; (D.S.); (M.D.); (J.F.W.); (B.A.W.); (K.P.F.); (G.P.); (R.S.T.); (R.R.S.); (J.H.O.); (S.D.); (S.P.); (J.A.H.); (T.S.); (K.E.C.)
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12
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Sewell F, Alexander-White C, Brescia S, Currie RA, Roberts R, Roper C, Vickers C, Westmoreland C, Kimber I. New approach methodologies (NAMs): identifying and overcoming hurdles to accelerated adoption. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2024; 13:tfae044. [PMID: 38533179 PMCID: PMC10964841 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfae044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
New approach methodologies (NAMs) can deliver improved chemical safety assessment through the provision of more protective and/or relevant models that have a reduced reliance on animals. Despite the widely acknowledged benefits offered by NAMs, there continue to be barriers that prevent or limit their application for decision-making in chemical safety assessment. These include barriers related to real and perceived scientific, technical, legislative and economic issues, as well as cultural and societal obstacles that may relate to inertia, familiarity, and comfort with established methods, and perceptions around regulatory expectations and acceptance. This article focuses on chemical safety science, exposure, hazard, and risk assessment, and explores the nature of these barriers and how they can be overcome to drive the wider exploitation and acceptance of NAMs. Short-, mid- and longer-term goals are outlined that embrace the opportunities provided by NAMs to deliver improved protection of human health and environmental security as part of a new paradigm that incorporates exposure science and a culture that promotes the use of protective toxicological risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Sewell
- UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE, United Kingdom
| | | | - Susy Brescia
- UK Chemicals Regulation Division, Health and Safety Executive, Redgrave Court, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 7HS, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Currie
- Jealotts Hill International Research Centre, Syngenta, Bracknell, RG42 6EX, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Roberts
- University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- ApconiX, BioHub at Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, SK10 4TG, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Roper
- Roper Toxicology Consulting Limited, 6 St Colme Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6AD, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Vickers
- UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE, United Kingdom
| | - Carl Westmoreland
- Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, MK44 1LQ, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Kimber
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
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13
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Ebmeyer J, Najjar A, Lange D, Boettcher M, Voß S, Brandmair K, Meinhardt J, Kuehnl J, Hewitt NJ, Krueger CT, Schepky A. Next generation risk assessment: an ab initio case study to assess the systemic safety of the cosmetic ingredient, benzyl salicylate, after dermal exposure. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1345992. [PMID: 38515841 PMCID: PMC10955127 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1345992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
We performed an ab initio next-generation risk assessment (NGRA) for a fragrance ingredient, benzyl salicylate (BSal), to demonstrate how cosmetic ingredients can be evaluated for systemic toxicity endpoints based on non-animal approaches. New approach methodologies (NAMs) used to predict the internal exposure included skin absorption assays, hepatocyte metabolism, and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling, and potential toxicodynamic effects were assessed using pharmacology profiling, ToxProfiler cell stress assay, transcriptomics in HepG2 and MCF-7 cells, ReproTracker developmental and reproductive toxicology (DART) assays, and cytotoxicity assays in human kidney cells. The outcome of the NGRA was compared to that of the traditional risk assessment approach based on animal data. The identification of the toxicologically critical entity was a critical step that directed the workflow and the selection of chemicals for PBPK modeling and testing in bioassays. The traditional risk assessment and NGRA identified salicylic acid (SA) as the "toxdriver." A deterministic PBPK model for a single-day application of 1.54 g face cream containing 0.5% BSal estimated the Cmax for BSal (1 nM) to be much lower than that of its major in vitro metabolite, SA (93.2 nM). Therefore, SA was tested using toxicodynamics bioassays. The lowest points of departure (PoDs) were obtained from the toxicogenomics assays. The interpretation of these results by two companies and methods were similar (SA only results in significant gene deregulation in HepG2 cells), but PoD differed (213 μM and 10.6 µM). A probabilistic PBPK model for repeated applications of the face cream estimated the highest Cmax of SA to be 630 nM. The resulting margins of internal exposure (MoIE) using the PoDs were 338 and 16, which were more conservative than those derived from external exposure and in vivo PoDs (margin of safety values were 9,705). In conclusion, both traditional and ab initio NGRA approaches concluded that the daily application of BSal in a cosmetic leave-on face cream at 0.5% is safe for humans. The processing and interpretation of toxicogenomics data can lead to different PoDs, which can subsequently affect the calculation of the MoIE. This case study supports the use of NAMs in a tiered NGRA ab initio approach.
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14
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Villeneuve DL, Blackwell BR, Bush K, Harrill J, Harris F, Hazemi M, Le M, Stacy E, Flynn KM. Transcriptomics-Based Points of Departure for Daphnia magna Exposed to 18 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024. [PMID: 38450772 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a large group of contaminants of concern based on their widespread use, environmental persistence, and potential toxicity. Many traditional models for estimating toxicity, bioaccumulation, and other toxicological properties are not well suited for PFAS. Consequently, there is a need to generate hazard information for PFAS in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In the present study, Daphnia magna were exposed to multiple concentrations of 22 different PFAS for 24 h in a 96-well plate format. Following exposure, whole-body RNA was extracted and extracts, each representing five exposed individuals, were subjected to RNA sequencing. Following analytical measurements to verify PFAS exposure concentrations and quality control on processed cDNA libraries for sequencing, concentration-response modeling was applied to the data sets for 18 of the tested compounds, and the concentration at which a concerted molecular response occurred (transcriptomic point of departure; tPOD) was calculated. The tPODs, based on measured concentrations of PFAS, generally ranged from 0.03 to 0.58 µM (9.9-350 µg/L; interquartile range). In most cases, these concentrations were two orders of magnitude lower than similarly calculated tPODs for human cell lines exposed to PFAS. They were also lower than apical effect concentrations reported for seven PFAS for which some crustacean or invertebrate toxicity data were available, although there were a few exceptions. Despite being lower than most other available hazard benchmarks, D. magna tPODs were, on average, four orders of magnitude greater than the maximum aqueous concentrations of PFAS measured in Great Lakes tributaries. Overall, this high-throughput transcriptomics assay with D. magna holds promise as a component of a tiered hazard evaluation strategy employing new approach methodologies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1-16. © 2024 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Villeneuve
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Brett R Blackwell
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, USA
- Bioscience Division, Biochemistry and Biotechnology Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | - Kendra Bush
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant at US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Joshua Harrill
- Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, NC, USA
| | - Felix Harris
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant at US EPA, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Oak Ridge, NC, USA
| | - Monique Hazemi
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant at US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Michelle Le
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant at US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Emma Stacy
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Kevin M Flynn
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN, USA
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15
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Rodea-Palomares I, Bone AJ. Predictive value of the ToxCast/Tox21 high throughput toxicity screening data for approximating in vivo ecotoxicity endpoints and ecotoxicological risk in eco- surveillance applications. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169783. [PMID: 38184261 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Ecotoxicology has long relied on assessing the hazard potential of chemicals through traditional in vivo testing methods to understand the possible risk exposure could pose to ecological taxa. In the past decade, the development of non-animal new approach methods (NAMs) for assessing chemical hazard and risk has quickly grown. These methods are often cheaper and faster than traditional toxicity testing, and thus are amenable to high-throughput toxicity testing (HTT), resulting in large datasets. The ToxCast/Tox21 HTT programs have produced in vitro data for thousands of chemicals covering a large space of biological activity. The relevance of these data to in vivo mammalian toxicity has been much explored. Interest has also grown in using these data to evaluate the risk of environmental exposures to taxa of ecological importance such as fish, aquatic invertebrates, etc.; particularly for the purpose of estimating the risk of exposure from real-world complex mixtures. Understanding the relationship and relative sensitivity of NAMs versus standardized ecotoxicological whole organism models is a key component of performing reliable read-across from mammalian in vitro data to ecotoxicological in vivo data. In this work, we explore the relationship between in vivo ecotoxicity data from several publicly available databases and the ToxCast/Tox21 data. We also performed several case studies in which we compare how using different ecotoxicity datasets, whether traditional or ToxCast-based, affects risk conclusions based on exposure to complex mixtures derived from existing large-scale chemical monitoring data. Generally, predictive value of ToxCast data for traditional in vivo endpoints (EPs) was poor (r ≤ 0.3). Risk conclusions, including identification of different chemical risk drivers and prioritized monitoring sites, were different when using HTT data vs. traditional in vivo data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Audrey J Bone
- Bayer CropScience, 700 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield, MO, USA
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16
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Carpi D, Liska R, Malinowska JM, Palosaari T, Bouhifd M, Whelan M. Investigating the dependency of in vitro benchmark concentrations on exposure time in transcriptomics experiments. Toxicol In Vitro 2024; 95:105761. [PMID: 38081393 PMCID: PMC10879918 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing interest to employ in vitro transcriptomics experiments in toxicological testing, for example to determine a point-of-departure (PoD) for chemical safety assessment. However current practices to derive PoD tend to utilise a single exposure time despite the importance of exposure time on the manifestation of toxicity caused by a chemical. Therefore it is important to investigate both concentration and exposure time to determine how these factors affect biological responses, and as a consequence, the derivation of PoDs. In this study, metabolically competent HepaRG cells were exposed to five known toxicants over a range of concentrations and time points for subsequent gene expression analysis, using a targeted RNA expression assay (TempO-Seq). A non-parametric factor-modelling approach was used to model the collective response of all significant genes, which exploited the interdependence of differentially expressed gene responses. This in turn allowed the determination of an isobenchmark response (isoBMR) curve for each chemical in a reproducible manner. For 2 of the 5 chemicals tested, the PoD was observed to vary by 0.5-1 log-order within the 48-h timeframe of the experiment. The approach and findings presented here clearly demonstrate the need to take both concentration and exposure time into account when designing in vitro toxicogenomics experiments to determine PoD. Doing so also provides a means to use concentration-time-response modelling as a basis to extrapolate a PoD from shorter to longer exposure durations, and to identify chemicals of concern that can cause cumulative effects over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Carpi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Roman Liska
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Taina Palosaari
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Mounir Bouhifd
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Maurice Whelan
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
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17
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Lu EH, Ford LC, Chen Z, Burnett SD, Rusyn I, Chiu WA. Evaluating scientific confidence in the concordance of in vitro and in vivo protective points of departure. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 148:105596. [PMID: 38447894 PMCID: PMC11193089 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2024.105596] [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] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
To fulfil the promise of reducing reliance on mammalian in vivo laboratory animal studies, new approach methods (NAMs) need to provide a confident basis for regulatory decision-making. However, previous attempts to develop in vitro NAMs-based points of departure (PODs) have yielded mixed results, with PODs from U.S. EPA's ToxCast, for instance, appearing more conservative (protective) but poorly correlated with traditional in vivo studies. Here, we aimed to address this discordance by reducing the heterogeneity of in vivo PODs, accounting for species differences, and enhancing the biological relevance of in vitro PODs. However, we only found improved in vitro-to-in vivo concordance when combining the use of Bayesian model averaging-based benchmark dose modeling for in vivo PODs, allometric scaling for interspecies adjustments, and human-relevant in vitro assays with multiple induced pluripotent stem cell-derived models. Moreover, the available sample size was only 15 chemicals, and the resulting level of concordance was only fair, with correlation coefficients <0.5 and prediction intervals spanning several orders of magnitude. Overall, while this study suggests several ways to enhance concordance and thereby increase scientific confidence in vitro NAMs-based PODs, it also highlights challenges in their predictive accuracy and precision for use in regulatory decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- En-Hsuan Lu
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Lucie C Ford
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Zunwei Chen
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Sarah D Burnett
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Weihsueh A Chiu
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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18
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Langan LM, Paparella M, Burden N, Constantine L, Margiotta-Casaluci L, Miller TH, Moe SJ, Owen SF, Schaffert A, Sikanen T. Big Question to Developing Solutions: A Decade of Progress in the Development of Aquatic New Approach Methodologies from 2012 to 2022. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:559-574. [PMID: 36722131 PMCID: PMC10390655 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In 2012, 20 key questions related to hazard and exposure assessment and environmental and health risks of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the natural environment were identified. A decade later, this article examines the current level of knowledge around one of the lowest-ranking questions at that time, number 19: "Can nonanimal testing methods be developed that will provide equivalent or better hazard data compared with current in vivo methods?" The inclusion of alternative methods that replace, reduce, or refine animal testing within the regulatory context of risk and hazard assessment of chemicals generally faces many hurdles, although this varies both by organism (human-centric vs. other), sector, and geographical region or country. Focusing on the past 10 years, only works that might reasonably be considered to contribute to advancements in the field of aquatic environmental risk assessment are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to methods of contemporary interest and importance, representing progress in (1) the development of methods which provide equivalent or better data compared with current in vivo methods such as bioaccumulation, (2) weight of evidence, or (3) -omic-based applications. Evolution and convergence of these risk assessment areas offer the basis for fundamental frameshifts in how data are collated and used for the protection of taxa across the breadth of the aquatic environment. Looking to the future, we are at a tipping point, with a need for a global and inclusive approach to establish consensus. Bringing together these methods (both new and old) for regulatory assessment and decision-making will require a concerted effort and orchestration. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:559-574. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Langan
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97266, Waco, TX, 76798, USA
| | - Martin Paparella
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Natalie Burden
- National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK
| | | | - Luigi Margiotta-Casaluci
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9NQ, UK
| | - Thomas H. Miller
- Centre for Pollution Research & Policy, Environmental Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
| | - S. Jannicke Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway
| | - Stewart F. Owen
- AstraZeneca, Global Sustainability, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 2NA, UK
| | - Alexandra Schaffert
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Tiina Sikanen
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, Yliopistonkatu 3, Helsinki, 00100, Finland
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19
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Browne P, Paul Friedman K, Boekelheide K, Thomas RS. Adverse effects in traditional and alternative toxicity tests. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 148:105579. [PMID: 38309424 PMCID: PMC11062625 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2024.105579] [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] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Chemical safety assessment begins with defining the lowest level of chemical that alters one or more measured endpoints. This critical effect level, along with factors to account for uncertainty, is used to derive limits for human exposure. In the absence of data regarding the specific mechanisms or biological pathways affected, non-specific endpoints such as body weight and non-target organ weight changes are used to set critical effect levels. Specific apical endpoints such as impaired reproductive function or altered neurodevelopment have also been used to set chemical safety limits; however, in test guidelines designed for specific apical effect(s), concurrently measured non-specific endpoints may be equally or more sensitive than specific endpoints. This means that rather than predicting a specific toxicological response, animal data are often used to develop protective critical effect levels, without assuming the same change would be observed in humans. This manuscript is intended to encourage a rethinking of how adverse chemical effects are interpreted: non-specific endpoints from in vivo toxicological studies data are often used to derive points of departure for use with safety assessment factors to create recommended exposure levels that are broadly protective but not necessarily target-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patience Browne
- Environment Health and Safety Division Environmental Directorate, Organisation for Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD), 2 rue André Pascal, Paris Cedex 16, 75775, France.
| | - Katie Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Kim Boekelheide
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Russell S Thomas
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
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20
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Bhateria M, Taneja I, Karsauliya K, Sonker AK, Shibata Y, Sato H, Singh SP, Hisaka A. Predicting the in vivo developmental toxicity of fenarimol from in vitro toxicity data using PBTK modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry approach. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2024; 484:116879. [PMID: 38431230 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
In vitro methods are widely used in modern toxicological testing; however, the data cannot be directly employed for risk assessment. In vivo toxicity of chemicals can be predicted from in vitro data using physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry (PBTK-RD). In this study, a minimal-PBTK model was constructed to predict the in-vivo kinetic profile of fenarimol (FNL) in rats and humans. The model was verified by comparing the observed and predicted pharmacokinetics of FNL for rats (calibrator) and further applied to humans. Using the PBTK-RD approach, the reported in vitro developmental toxicity data for FNL was translated to in vivo dose-response data to predict the assay equivalent oral dose in rats and humans. The predicted assay equivalent rat oral dose (36.46 mg/kg) was comparable to the literature reported in vivo BMD10 value (22.8 mg/kg). The model was also employed to derive the chemical-specific adjustment factor (CSAF) for interspecies toxicokinetics variability of FNL. Further, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to predict the population variability in the plasma concentration of FNL and to derive CSAF for intersubject human kinetic differences. The comparison of CSAF values for interspecies and intersubject toxicokinetic variability with their respective default values revealed that the applied uncertainty factors were adequately protective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manisha Bhateria
- Toxicokinetics Laboratory, ASSIST and REACT Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
| | - Isha Taneja
- Certara UK Limited, Simcyp Division, Acero, 1 Concourse Way, Sheffield S1 2BJ, UK
| | - Kajal Karsauliya
- Toxicokinetics Laboratory, ASSIST and REACT Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Sonker
- Toxicokinetics Laboratory, ASSIST and REACT Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Yukihiro Shibata
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan
| | - Hiromi Sato
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan
| | - Sheelendra Pratap Singh
- Toxicokinetics Laboratory, ASSIST and REACT Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
| | - Akihiro Hisaka
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 260-8675, Japan
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21
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Tsai HHD, Ford LC, Chen Z, Dickey AN, Wright FA, Rusyn I. Risk-based prioritization of PFAS using phenotypic and transcriptomic data from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes. ALTEX 2024; 41:363-381. [PMID: 38429992 PMCID: PMC11305846 DOI: 10.14573/altex.2311031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals with important applications; they are persistent in the environment and may pose human health hazards. Regulatory agencies are considering restrictions and bans of PFAS; however, little data exists for informed decisions. Several prioritization strategies were proposed for evaluation of potential hazards of PFAS. Structure-based grouping could expedite the selection of PFAS for testing; still, the hypothesis that structure-effect relationships exist for PFAS requires confirmation. We tested 26 structurally diverse PFAS from 8 groups using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes, and tested concentration-response effects on cell function and gene expression. Few phenotypic effects were observed in hepatocytes, but negative chronotropy was observed in cardiomyocytes for 8 PFAS. Substance- and cell type-dependent transcriptomic changes were more prominent but lacked substantial group-specific effects. In hepatocytes, we found upregulation of stress-related and extracellular matrix organization pathways, and down-regulation of fat metabolism. In cardiomyocytes, contractility-related pathways were most affected. We derived phenotypic and transcriptomic points of departure and compared them to predicted PFAS exposures. Conservative estimates for bioactivity and exposure were used to derive a bioactivity-to-exposure ratio (BER) for each PFAS; 23 of 26 PFAS had BER > 1. Overall, these data suggest that structure-based PFAS grouping may not be sufficient to predict their biological effects. Testing of individual PFAS may be needed for scientifically-supported decision-making. Our proposed strategy of using two human cell types and considering phenotypic and transcriptomic effects, combined with dose-response analysis and calculation of BER, may be used for PFAS prioritization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Hsuan D Tsai
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Lucie C Ford
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Zunwei Chen
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Current address: Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Allison N Dickey
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Fred A Wright
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, TX, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Statistics and Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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22
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Silva MH. Investigating open access new approach methods (NAM) to assess biological points of departure: A case study with 4 neurotoxic pesticides. Curr Res Toxicol 2024; 6:100156. [PMID: 38404712 PMCID: PMC10891343 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2024.100156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Open access new approach methods (NAM) in the US EPA ToxCast program and NTP Integrated Chemical Environment (ICE) were used to investigate activities of four neurotoxic pesticides: endosulfan, fipronil, propyzamide and carbaryl. Concordance of in vivo regulatory points of departure (POD) adjusted for interspecies extrapolation (AdjPOD) to modelled human Administered Equivalent Dose (AEDHuman) was assessed using 3-compartment or Adult/Fetal PBTK in vitro to in vivo extrapolation. Model inputs were from Tier 1 (High throughput transcriptomics: HTTr, high throughput phenotypic profiling: HTPP) and Tier 2 (single target: ToxCast) assays. HTTr identified gene expression signatures associated with potential neurotoxicity for endosulfan, propyzamide and carbaryl in non-neuronal MCF-7 and HepaRG cells. The HTPP assay in U-2 OS cells detected potent effects on DNA endpoints for endosulfan and carbaryl, and mitochondria with fipronil (propyzamide was inactive). The most potent ToxCast assays were concordant with specific components of each chemical mode of action (MOA). Predictive adult IVIVE models produced fold differences (FD) < 10 between the AEDHuman and the measured in vivo AdjPOD. The 3-compartment model was concordant (i.e., smallest FD) for endosulfan, fipronil and carbaryl, and PBTK was concordant for propyzamide. The most potent AEDHuman predictions for each chemical showed HTTr, HTPP and ToxCast were mainly concordant with in vivo AdjPODs but assays were less concordant with MOAs. This was likely due to the cell types used for testing and/or lack of metabolic capabilities and pathways available in vivo. The Fetal PBTK model had larger FDs than adult models and was less predictive overall.
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23
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Isaacs KK, Wall JT, Paul Friedman K, Franzosa JA, Goeden H, Williams AJ, Dionisio KL, Lambert JC, Linnenbrink M, Singh A, Wambaugh JF, Bogdan AR, Greene C. Screening for drinking water contaminants of concern using an automated exposure-focused workflow. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:136-147. [PMID: 37193773 PMCID: PMC11131037 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00552-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number of chemicals present in the environment exceeds the capacity of government bodies to characterize risk. Therefore, data-informed and reproducible processes are needed for identifying chemicals for further assessment. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), under its Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) initiative, uses a standardized process to screen potential drinking water contaminants based on toxicity and exposure potential. OBJECTIVE Recently, MDH partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) to accelerate the screening process via development of an automated workflow accessing relevant exposure data, including exposure new approach methodologies (NAMs) from ORD's ExpoCast project. METHODS The workflow incorporated information from 27 data sources related to persistence and fate, release potential, water occurrence, and exposure potential, making use of ORD tools for harmonization of chemical names and identifiers. The workflow also incorporated data and criteria specific to Minnesota and MDH's regulatory authority. The collected data were used to score chemicals using quantitative algorithms developed by MDH. The workflow was applied to 1867 case study chemicals, including 82 chemicals that were previously manually evaluated by MDH. RESULTS Evaluation of the automated and manual results for these 82 chemicals indicated reasonable agreement between the scores although agreement depended on data availability; automated scores were lower than manual scores for chemicals with fewer available data. Case study chemicals with high exposure scores included disinfection by-products, pharmaceuticals, consumer product chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, pesticides, and metals. Scores were integrated with in vitro bioactivity data to assess the feasibility of using NAMs for further risk prioritization. SIGNIFICANCE This workflow will allow MDH to accelerate exposure screening and expand the number of chemicals examined, freeing resources for in-depth assessments. The workflow will be useful in screening large libraries of chemicals for candidates for the CEC program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin K Isaacs
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA.
| | - Jonathan T Wall
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Katie Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Jill A Franzosa
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Helen Goeden
- Minnesota Department of Health, 625 Robert St. N, St. Paul, MN, 55155, USA
| | - Antony J Williams
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Kathie L Dionisio
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Jason C Lambert
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Monica Linnenbrink
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Amar Singh
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - John F Wambaugh
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Alexander R Bogdan
- Minnesota Department of Health, 625 Robert St. N, St. Paul, MN, 55155, USA
| | - Christopher Greene
- Minnesota Department of Health, 625 Robert St. N, St. Paul, MN, 55155, USA
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24
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Harrill JA, Everett LJ, Haggard DE, Bundy JL, Willis CM, Shah I, Friedman KP, Basili D, Middleton A, Judson RS. Exploring the effects of experimental parameters and data modeling approaches on in vitro transcriptomic point-of-departure estimates. Toxicology 2024; 501:153694. [PMID: 38043774 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Multiple new approach methods (NAMs) are being developed to rapidly screen large numbers of chemicals to aid in hazard evaluation and risk assessments. High-throughput transcriptomics (HTTr) in human cell lines has been proposed as a first-tier screening approach for determining the types of bioactivity a chemical can cause (activation of specific targets vs. generalized cell stress) and for calculating transcriptional points of departure (tPODs) based on changes in gene expression. In the present study, we examine a range of computational methods to calculate tPODs from HTTr data, using six data sets in which MCF7 cells cultured in two different media formulations were treated with a panel of 44 chemicals for 3 different exposure durations (6, 12, 24 hr). The tPOD calculation methods use data at the level of individual genes and gene set signatures, and compare data processed using the ToxCast Pipeline 2 (tcplfit2), BMDExpress and PLIER (Pathway Level Information ExtractoR). Methods were evaluated by comparing to in vitro PODs from a validated set of high-throughput screening (HTS) assays for a set of estrogenic compounds. Key findings include: (1) for a given chemical and set of experimental conditions, tPODs calculated by different methods can vary by several orders of magnitude; (2) tPODs are at least as sensitive to computational methods as to experimental conditions; (3) in comparison to an external reference set of PODs, some methods give generally higher values, principally PLIER and BMDExpress; and (4) the tPODs from HTTr in this one cell type are mostly higher than the overall PODs from a broad battery of targeted in vitro ToxCast assays, reflecting the need to test chemicals in multiple cell types and readout technologies for in vitro hazard screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A Harrill
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Logan J Everett
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Derik E Haggard
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), USA
| | - Joseph L Bundy
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Clinton M Willis
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA; Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), USA
| | - Imran Shah
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Katie Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Danilo Basili
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Alistair Middleton
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Richard S Judson
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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25
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Bloch S, Lévêque L, Hertz-Picciotto I, Puschner B, Fritsche E, Klose J, I Kramer N, Bouchard MF, Chandrasekera PC, Verner MA. Using in vitro data to derive acceptable exposure levels: A case study on PBDE developmental neurotoxicity. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 183:108411. [PMID: 38217900 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current acceptable chemical exposure levels (e.g., tolerable daily intake) are mainly based on animal experiments, which are costly, time-consuming, considered non-ethical by many, and may poorly predict adverse outcomes in humans. OBJECTIVE To evaluate a method using human in vitro data and biological modeling to calculate an acceptable exposure level through a case study on 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). METHODS We reviewed the literature on in vitro assays studying BDE-47-induced DNT. Using the most sensitive endpoint, we derived a point of departure using a mass-balance in vitro disposition model and benchmark dose modeling for a 5% response (BMC05) in cells. We subsequently used a pharmacokinetic model of gestation and lactation to estimate administered equivalent doses leading to four different metrics of child brain concentration (i.e., average prenatal, average postnatal, average overall, and maximum concentration) equal to the point of departure. The administered equivalent doses were translated into tolerable daily intakes using uncertainty factors. Finally, we calculated biomonitoring equivalents for maternal serum and compared them to published epidemiological studies of DNT. RESULTS We calculated a BMC05 of 164 μg/kg of cells for BDE-47 induced alteration of differentiation in neural progenitor cells. We estimated administered equivalent doses of 0.925-3.767 μg/kg/day in mothers, and tolerable daily intakes of 0.009-0.038 μg/kg/day (composite uncertainty factor: 100). The lowest derived biomonitoring equivalent was 19.75 ng/g lipids, which was consistent with reported median (0.9-23 ng/g lipids) and geometric mean (7.02-26.9 ng/g lipids) maternal serum concentrations from epidemiological studies. CONCLUSION This case study supports using in vitro data and biological modeling as a viable alternative to animal testing to derive acceptable exposure levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherri Bloch
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura Lévêque
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Birgit Puschner
- Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ellen Fritsche
- IUF-Leibniz-Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Duesseldorf, Germany; DNTOX GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany; Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jördis Klose
- IUF-Leibniz-Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Nynke I Kramer
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maryse F Bouchard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Université du Québec, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | | | - Marc-André Verner
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche en santé publique, Université de Montréal and CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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26
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Pelkonen O, Abass K, Parra Morte JM, Panzarea M, Testai E, Rudaz S, Louisse J, Gundert-Remy U, Wolterink G, Jean-Lou CM D, Coecke S, Bernasconi C. Metabolites in the regulatory risk assessment of pesticides in the EU. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2023; 5:1304885. [PMID: 38188093 PMCID: PMC10770266 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1304885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
A large majority of chemicals is converted into metabolites through xenobiotic-metabolising enzymes. Metabolites may present a spectrum of characteristics varying from similar to vastly different compared with the parent compound in terms of both toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. In the pesticide arena, the role of metabolism and metabolites is increasingly recognised as a significant factor particularly for the design and interpretation of mammalian toxicological studies and in the toxicity assessment of pesticide/metabolite-associated issues for hazard characterization and risk assessment purposes, including the role of metabolites as parts in various residues in ecotoxicological adversities. This is of particular relevance to pesticide metabolites that are unique to humans in comparison with metabolites found in in vitro or in vivo animal studies, but also to disproportionate metabolites (quantitative differences) between humans and mammalian species. Presence of unique or disproportionate metabolites may underlie potential toxicological concerns. This review aims to present the current state-of-the-art of comparative metabolism and metabolites in pesticide research for hazard and risk assessment, including One Health perspectives, and future research needs based on the experiences gained at the European Food Safety Authority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olavi Pelkonen
- Research Unit of Biomedicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Khaled Abass
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research (SIMR), University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | | | - Emanuela Testai
- Mechanisms, Biomarkers and Models Unit, Environment and Health Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Serge Rudaz
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, CMU, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jochem Louisse
- EFSA, European Food Safety Authority, Parma, Italy
- Wageningen Food Safety Research (WFSR), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ursula Gundert-Remy
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gerrit Wolterink
- Centre for Prevention, Lifestyle and Health, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, Netherlands
| | | | - Sandra Coecke
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
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27
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Beal MA, Chen G, Dearfield KL, Gi M, Gollapudi B, Heflich RH, Horibata K, Long AS, Lovell DP, Parsons BL, Pfuhler S, Wills J, Zeller A, Johnson G, White PA. Interpretation of in vitro concentration-response data for risk assessment and regulatory decision-making: Report from the 2022 IWGT quantitative analysis expert working group meeting. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2023. [PMID: 38115239 DOI: 10.1002/em.22582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative risk assessments of chemicals are routinely performed using in vivo data from rodents; however, there is growing recognition that non-animal approaches can be human-relevant alternatives. There is an urgent need to build confidence in non-animal alternatives given the international support to reduce the use of animals in toxicity testing where possible. In order for scientists and risk assessors to prepare for this paradigm shift in toxicity assessment, standardization and consensus on in vitro testing strategies and data interpretation will need to be established. To address this issue, an Expert Working Group (EWG) of the 8th International Workshop on Genotoxicity Testing (IWGT) evaluated the utility of quantitative in vitro genotoxicity concentration-response data for risk assessment. The EWG first evaluated available in vitro methodologies and then examined the variability and maximal response of in vitro tests to estimate biologically relevant values for the critical effect sizes considered adverse or unacceptable. Next, the EWG reviewed the approaches and computational models employed to provide human-relevant dose context to in vitro data. Lastly, the EWG evaluated risk assessment applications for which in vitro data are ready for use and applications where further work is required. The EWG concluded that in vitro genotoxicity concentration-response data can be interpreted in a risk assessment context. However, prior to routine use in regulatory settings, further research will be required to address the remaining uncertainties and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc A Beal
- Bureau of Chemical Safety, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Guangchao Chen
- Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kerry L Dearfield
- Retired from US Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Min Gi
- Department of Environmental Risk Assessment, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Robert H Heflich
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | - Katsuyoshi Horibata
- Division of Genetics and Mutagenesis, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Alexandra S Long
- Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David P Lovell
- St George's Medical School, University of London, London, UK
| | - Barbara L Parsons
- National Center for Toxicological Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | - Stefan Pfuhler
- Global Product Stewardship - Human Safety, Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - John Wills
- Genetic Toxicology and Photosafety, GSK Research & Development, Stevenage, UK
| | - Andreas Zeller
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, pRED Innovation Center Basel, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - George Johnson
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Paul A White
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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28
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Chen P, Li Y, Long Q, Zuo T, Zhang Z, Guo J, Xu D, Li K, Liu S, Li S, Yin J, Chang L, Kukic P, Liddell M, Tulum L, Carmichael P, Peng S, Li J, Zhang Q, Xu P. The phosphoproteome is a first responder in tiered cellular adaptation to chemical stress followed by proteomics and transcriptomics alteration. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 344:140329. [PMID: 37783352 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Next-generation risk assessment (NGRA) for environmental chemicals involves a weight of evidence (WoE) framework integrating a suite of new approach methodologies (NAMs) based on points of departure (PoD) obtained from in vitro assays. Among existing NAMs, the omic-based technologies are of particular importance based on the premise that any apical endpoint change indicative of impaired health must be underpinned by some alterations at the omics level, such as transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, epigenome and genome. Transcriptomic assay plays a leading role in providing relatively conservative PoDs compared with apical endpoints. However, it is unclear whether and how parameters measured with other omics techniques predict the cellular response to chemical perturbations, especially at exposure levels below the transcriptomically defined PoD. Multi-omics coverage may provide additional sensitive or confirmative biomarkers to complement and reduce the uncertainty in safety decisions made using targeted and transcriptomics assays. In the present study, we conducted multi-omics studies of transcriptomics, proteomics and phosphoproteomics on two prototype compounds, coumarin and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), with multiple chemical concentrations and time points, to understand the sensitivity of the three omics techniques in response to chemically-induced changes in HepG2. We demonstrated that, phosphoproteomics alterations occur not only earlier in time, but also more sensitive to lower concentrations than proteomics and transcriptomics when the HepG2 cells were exposed to various chemical treatments. The phosphoproteomics changes appear to approach maximum when the transcriptomics alterations begin to initiate. Therefore, it is proximal to the very early effects induced by chemical exposure. We concluded that phosphoproteomics can be utilized to provide a more complete coverage of chemical-induced cellular alteration and supplement transcriptomics-based health safety decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiru Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; Hebei Province Key Lab of Research and Application on Microbial Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Yuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; Department of Biomedicine, Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China; Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Qi Long
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Tao Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Zhenpeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Jiabin Guo
- Evaluation and Research Centre for Toxicology, Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Danyang Xu
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Kaixuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; Hebei Province Key Lab of Research and Application on Microbial Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Shu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Suzhen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Jian Yin
- Evaluation and Research Centre for Toxicology, Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Lei Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Predrag Kukic
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Mark Liddell
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Liz Tulum
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Paul Carmichael
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Shuangqing Peng
- Evaluation and Research Centre for Toxicology, Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Jin Li
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, MK44 1LQ, UK.
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA, GA, 30322.
| | - Ping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Research Unit of Proteomics & Research and Development of New Drug of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China; Hebei Province Key Lab of Research and Application on Microbial Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China; Department of Biomedicine, Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China; School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China; Program of Environmental Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China.
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29
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Arturi K, Hollender J. Machine Learning-Based Hazard-Driven Prioritization of Features in Nontarget Screening of Environmental High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Data. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:18067-18079. [PMID: 37279189 PMCID: PMC10666537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nontarget high-resolution mass spectrometry screening (NTS HRMS/MS) can detect thousands of organic substances in environmental samples. However, new strategies are needed to focus time-intensive identification efforts on features with the highest potential to cause adverse effects instead of the most abundant ones. To address this challenge, we developed MLinvitroTox, a machine learning framework that uses molecular fingerprints derived from fragmentation spectra (MS2) for a rapid classification of thousands of unidentified HRMS/MS features as toxic/nontoxic based on nearly 400 target-specific and over 100 cytotoxic endpoints from ToxCast/Tox21. Model development results demonstrated that using customized molecular fingerprints and models, over a quarter of toxic endpoints and the majority of the associated mechanistic targets could be accurately predicted with sensitivities exceeding 0.95. Notably, SIRIUS molecular fingerprints and xboost (Extreme Gradient Boosting) models with SMOTE (Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique) for handling data imbalance were a universally successful and robust modeling configuration. Validation of MLinvitroTox on MassBank spectra showed that toxicity could be predicted from molecular fingerprints derived from MS2 with an average balanced accuracy of 0.75. By applying MLinvitroTox to environmental HRMS/MS data, we confirmed the experimental results obtained with target analysis and narrowed the analytical focus from tens of thousands of detected signals to 783 features linked to potential toxicity, including 109 spectral matches and 30 compounds with confirmed toxic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Arturi
- Department
of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal
Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Hollender
- Department
of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal
Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute
of Biogeochemistry and Pollution Dynamics, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zurich), Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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30
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Wang X, Rowan-Carroll A, Meier MJ, Williams A, Yauk CL, Hales BF, Robaire B. Toxicological Mechanisms and Potencies of Organophosphate Esters in KGN Human Ovarian Granulosa Cells as Revealed by High-throughput Transcriptomics. Toxicol Sci 2023; 197:kfad114. [PMID: 37941476 PMCID: PMC10823774 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the growing number of studies reporting potential risks associated with exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs), their molecular mechanisms of action remain poorly defined. We used the high-throughput TempO-Seq™ platform to investigate the effects of frequently detected OPEs on the expression of ∼3000 environmentally responsive genes in KGN human ovarian granulosa cells. Cells were exposed for 48 h to one of five OPEs (0.1 to 50 μM): tris(methylphenyl) phosphate (TMPP), isopropylated triphenyl phosphate (IPPP), tert-butylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (BPDP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), or tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP). The sequencing data indicate that four OPEs induced transcriptional changes, whereas TBOEP had no effect within the concentration range tested. Multiple pathway databases were used to predict alterations in biological processes based on differentially expressed genes. At lower concentrations, inhibition of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway was the predominant effect of OPEs; this was likely a consequence of intracellular cholesterol accumulation. At higher concentrations, BPDP and TPHP had distinct effects, primarily affecting pathways involved in cell cycle progression and other stress responses. Benchmark concentration (BMC) modelling revealed that BPDP had the lowest transcriptomic point of departure. However, in vitro to in vivo extrapolation modeling indicated that TMPP was bioactive at lower concentrations than the other OPEs. We conclude that these new approach methodologies provide information on the mechanism(s) underlying the effects of data-poor compounds and assist in the derivation of protective points of departure for use in chemical read-across and decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Andrea Rowan-Carroll
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K2K 0K9, Canada
| | - Matthew J Meier
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K2K 0K9, Canada
| | - Andrew Williams
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K2K 0K9, Canada
| | - Carole L Yauk
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9A7, Canada
| | - Barbara F Hales
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Bernard Robaire
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada
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31
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Friedman KP, Foster MJ, Pham LL, Feshuk M, Watford SM, Wambaugh JF, Judson RS, Setzer RW, Thomas RS. Reproducibility of organ-level effects in repeat dose animal studies. COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 28:1-17. [PMID: 37990691 PMCID: PMC10659077 DOI: 10.1016/j.comtox.2023.100287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
This work estimates benchmarks for new approach method (NAM) performance in predicting organ-level effects in repeat dose studies of adult animals based on variability in replicate animal studies. Treatment-related effect values from the Toxicity Reference database (v2.1) for weight, gross, or histopathological changes in the adrenal gland, liver, kidney, spleen, stomach, and thyroid were used. Rates of chemical concordance among organ-level findings in replicate studies, defined by repeated chemical only, chemical and species, or chemical and study type, were calculated. Concordance was 39 - 88%, depending on organ, and was highest within species. Variance in treatment-related effect values, including lowest effect level (LEL) values and benchmark dose (BMD) values when available, was calculated by organ. Multilinear regression modeling, using study descriptors of organ-level effect values as covariates, was used to estimate total variance, mean square error (MSE), and root residual mean square error (RMSE). MSE values, interpreted as estimates of unexplained variance, suggest study descriptors accounted for 52-69% of total variance in organ-level LELs. RMSE ranged from 0.41 - 0.68 log10-mg/kg/day. Differences between organ-level effects from chronic (CHR) and subchronic (SUB) dosing regimens were also quantified. Odds ratios indicated CHR organ effects were unlikely if the SUB study was negative. Mean differences of CHR - SUB organ-level LELs ranged from -0.38 to -0.19 log10 mg/kg/day; the magnitudes of these mean differences were less than RMSE for replicate studies. Finally, in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) was employed to compare bioactive concentrations from in vitro NAMs for kidney and liver to LELs. The observed mean difference between LELs and mean IVIVE dose predictions approached 0.5 log10-mg/kg/day, but differences by chemical ranged widely. Overall, variability in repeat dose organ-level effects suggests expectations for quantitative accuracy of NAM prediction of LELs should be at least ± 1 log10-mg/kg/day, with qualitative accuracy not exceeding 70%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - Miran J. Foster
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN
| | - Ly Ly Pham
- Currently at Janssen Research & Development, LLC, San Diego, CA, USA; previously with Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, ORAU Way, Oak Ridge, TN 37380
| | - Madison Feshuk
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - Sean M. Watford
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - John F. Wambaugh
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - Richard S. Judson
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
| | - R. Woodrow Setzer
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
- Emeritus contributor
| | - Russell S. Thomas
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 27711, USA
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32
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Cronin MTD, Ball N, Beken S, Bender H, Bercaru O, Caneva L, Corvaro M, Currie RA, Dawson JL, Desert P, Escher SE, Franco A, Irizar A, Mehta JM, Rogiers V, Tremblay RT, Westmoreland C, Maxwell G. Exposure considerations in human safety assessment: Report from an EPAA Partners' Forum. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 144:105483. [PMID: 37640101 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and estimating the exposure to a substance is one of the fundamental requirements for safe manufacture and use. Many approaches are taken to determine exposure to substances, mainly driven by potential use and regulatory need. There are many opportunities to improve and optimise the use of exposure information for chemical safety. The European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) therefore convened a Partners' Forum (PF) to explore exposure considerations in human safety assessment of industrial products to agree key conclusions for the regulatory acceptance of exposure assessment approaches and priority areas for further research investment. The PF recognised the widescale use of exposure information across industrial sectors with the possibilities of creating synergies between different sectors. Further, the PF acknowledged that the EPAA could make a significant contribution to promote the use of exposure data in human safety assessment, with an aim to address specific regulatory needs. To achieve this, research needs, as well as synergies and areas for potential collaboration across sectors, were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark T D Cronin
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, United Kingdom.
| | - Nicholas Ball
- Dow Europe GmbH, Bachtobelstrasse, 8810, Horgen, Switzerland.
| | - Sonja Beken
- Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP), Avenue Galilée 5/03, 1210, Brussels, Belgium.
| | | | - Ofelia Bercaru
- European Chemicals Agency, Telakkakatu 6, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Laura Caneva
- Zoetis Belgium, Veterinary Medicine Research & Development, Mercuriusstraat 20, B-1930, Zaventem, Belgium.
| | | | - Richard A Currie
- Syngenta Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell, RG42 6EY, UK.
| | - Jeffrey L Dawson
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC, 20004, USA.
| | - Paul Desert
- Sanofi, 1541 avenue Marcel Mérieux, 69280, Marcy l'Etoile, France.
| | - Sylvia E Escher
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), Hannover, Germany.
| | - Antonio Franco
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
| | - Amaia Irizar
- The International Fragrance Association (IFRA), Geneva, Switzerland.
| | | | - Vera Rogiers
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Raphaël T Tremblay
- Procter & Gamble Services Company, Temselaan 100, 1853 Strombeek-Bever, Belgium.
| | - Carl Westmoreland
- Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Unilever, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1LQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Gavin Maxwell
- Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Unilever, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1LQ, United Kingdom.
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33
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Schaupp CM, Maloney EM, Mattingly K, Olker JH, Villeneuve DL. Comparison of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo toxicity benchmarks suggests a role for ToxCast data in ecological hazard assessment. Toxicol Sci 2023; 195:145-154. [PMID: 37490521 PMCID: PMC11217893 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Large repositories of in vitro bioactivity data such as US EPA's Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) provide a wealth of publicly accessible toxicity information for thousands of chemicals. These data can be used to calculate point-of-departure (POD) estimates via concentration-response modeling that may serve as lower bound, protective estimates of in vivo effects. However, the data are predominantly based on mammalian models and discussions to date about their utility have largely focused on potential integration into human hazard assessment, rather than application to ecological risk assessment. The goal of the present study was to compare PODs based on (1) quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs), (2) the 5th centile of the activity concentration at cutoff (ACC), and (3) lower-bound cytotoxic burst (LCB) from ToxCast, with the distribution of in vivo PODs compiled in the Ecotoxicology Knowledgebase (ECOTOX). While overall correlation between ToxCast ACC5 and ECOTOX PODs for 649 chemicals was weak, there were significant associations among PODs based on LCB and ECOTOX, LCB and QSARs, and ECOTOX and QSARs. Certain classes of compounds showed moderate correlation across datasets (eg, antimicrobials/disinfectants), while others, such as organophosphate insecticides, did not. Unsurprisingly, more precise classifications of the data based on ECOTOX effect and endpoint type (eg, apical vs biochemical; acute vs chronic) had a significant effect on overall relationships. Results of this research help to define appropriate roles for data from new approach methodologies in chemical prioritization and screening of ecological hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Schaupp
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Erin M. Maloney
- University of Minnesota-Duluth, Integrated Biological Sciences Program, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Kali Mattingly
- Spec-Pro Professional Services, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN, 55804, USA
| | - Jennifer H. Olker
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Daniel L. Villeneuve
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
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34
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Feshuk M, Kolaczkowski L, Dunham K, Davidson-Fritz SE, Carstens KE, Brown J, Judson RS, Paul Friedman K. The ToxCast pipeline: updates to curve-fitting approaches and database structure. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2023; 5:1275980. [PMID: 37808181 PMCID: PMC10552852 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1275980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The US Environmental Protection Agency Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast) program makes in vitro medium- and high-throughput screening assay data publicly available for prioritization and hazard characterization of thousands of chemicals. The assays employ a variety of technologies to evaluate the effects of chemical exposure on diverse biological targets, from distinct proteins to more complex cellular processes like mitochondrial toxicity, nuclear receptor signaling, immune responses, and developmental toxicity. The ToxCast data pipeline (tcpl) is an open-source R package that stores, manages, curve-fits, and visualizes ToxCast data and populates the linked MySQL Database, invitrodb. Methods: Herein we describe major updates to tcpl and invitrodb to accommodate a new curve-fitting approach. The original tcpl curve-fitting models (constant, Hill, and gain-loss models) have been expanded to include Polynomial 1 (Linear), Polynomial 2 (Quadratic), Power, Exponential 2, Exponential 3, Exponential 4, and Exponential 5 based on BMDExpress and encoded by the R package dependency, tcplfit2. Inclusion of these models impacted invitrodb (beta version v4.0) and tcpl v3 in several ways: (1) long-format storage of generic modeling parameters to permit additional curve-fitting models; (2) updated logic for winning model selection; (3) continuous hit calling logic; and (4) removal of redundant endpoints as a result of bidirectional fitting. Results and discussion: Overall, the hit call and potency estimates were largely consistent between invitrodb v3.5 and 4.0. Tcpl and invitrodb provide a standard for consistent and reproducible curve-fitting and data management for diverse, targeted in vitro assay data with readily available documentation, thus enabling sharing and use of these data in myriad toxicology applications. The software and database updates described herein promote comparability across multiple tiers of data within the US Environmental Protection Agency CompTox Blueprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Feshuk
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
| | - L. Kolaczkowski
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
- National Student Services Contractor, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - K. Dunham
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
- National Student Services Contractor, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - S. E. Davidson-Fritz
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
| | - K. E. Carstens
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
| | - J. Brown
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
| | - R. S. Judson
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
| | - K. Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
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35
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Reddy N, Lynch B, Gujral J, Karnik K. Regulatory landscape of alternatives to animal testing in food safety evaluations with a focus on the western world. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 143:105470. [PMID: 37591329 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Traditional animal models are increasingly being replaced by new approach methodologies (NAMs) which focus on predicting toxicity of chemicals based on mechanistic data rather than apical endpoint data usually obtained from animal models. Beyond in vitro genetic tests, however, only a handful of NAMs have been successfully implemented in regulatory decision-making processes, mostly in the cosmetics and chemicals sector. Regulatory guidance on food safety testing in many jurisdictions still relies on data obtained from animal studies. This is due to the lack of validated models to predict systemic toxicity, which is essential to develop health-based guidance values for food additives. Other factors limiting the adoption of NAMs into food safety assessment include sector legislation lagging behind scientific progress, and lack of training and expertise to use the new models. While regulatory and industry bodies are working to combat these challenges, more needs to be done before these models can be used as standalone tools for regulatory decision-making. This review summarizes the current state and challenges of regulatory acceptance of NAMs for decision-making, and the efforts by governing bodies and industry to transition from animal testing for food safety assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navya Reddy
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd., Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada
| | - Barry Lynch
- Intertek Health Sciences Inc., 2233 Argentia Rd., Suite 201, Mississauga, ON, L5N 2X7, Canada.
| | - Jaspreet Gujral
- Tate & Lyle, 5450 Prairie Stone Pkwy, Hoffman Estates, IL, 60192, USA
| | - Kavita Karnik
- Tate & Lyle PLC, 5 Marble Arch, London, W1H 7EJ, United Kingdom
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36
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Schmeisser S, Miccoli A, von Bergen M, Berggren E, Braeuning A, Busch W, Desaintes C, Gourmelon A, Grafström R, Harrill J, Hartung T, Herzler M, Kass GEN, Kleinstreuer N, Leist M, Luijten M, Marx-Stoelting P, Poetz O, van Ravenzwaay B, Roggeband R, Rogiers V, Roth A, Sanders P, Thomas RS, Marie Vinggaard A, Vinken M, van de Water B, Luch A, Tralau T. New approach methodologies in human regulatory toxicology - Not if, but how and when! ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108082. [PMID: 37422975 PMCID: PMC10858683 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The predominantly animal-centric approach of chemical safety assessment has increasingly come under pressure. Society is questioning overall performance, sustainability, continued relevance for human health risk assessment and ethics of this system, demanding a change of paradigm. At the same time, the scientific toolbox used for risk assessment is continuously enriched by the development of "New Approach Methodologies" (NAMs). While this term does not define the age or the state of readiness of the innovation, it covers a wide range of methods, including quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) predictions, high-throughput screening (HTS) bioassays, omics applications, cell cultures, organoids, microphysiological systems (MPS), machine learning models and artificial intelligence (AI). In addition to promising faster and more efficient toxicity testing, NAMs have the potential to fundamentally transform today's regulatory work by allowing more human-relevant decision-making in terms of both hazard and exposure assessment. Yet, several obstacles hamper a broader application of NAMs in current regulatory risk assessment. Constraints in addressing repeated-dose toxicity, with particular reference to the chronic toxicity, and hesitance from relevant stakeholders, are major challenges for the implementation of NAMs in a broader context. Moreover, issues regarding predictivity, reproducibility and quantification need to be addressed and regulatory and legislative frameworks need to be adapted to NAMs. The conceptual perspective presented here has its focus on hazard assessment and is grounded on the main findings and conclusions from a symposium and workshop held in Berlin in November 2021. It intends to provide further insights into how NAMs can be gradually integrated into chemical risk assessment aimed at protection of human health, until eventually the current paradigm is replaced by an animal-free "Next Generation Risk Assessment" (NGRA).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Miccoli
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany; National Research Council, Ancona, Italy
| | - Martin von Bergen
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; University of Leipzig, Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Albert Braeuning
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Wibke Busch
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Desaintes
- European Commission (EC), Directorate General for Research and Innovation (RTD), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Anne Gourmelon
- Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Environment Directorate, Paris, France
| | | | - Joshua Harrill
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE), United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Durham, USA
| | - Thomas Hartung
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore MD USA, CAAT-Europe, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Matthias Herzler
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Nicole Kleinstreuer
- NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Durham, USA
| | - Marcel Leist
- CAAT‑Europe and Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Mirjam Luijten
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | | | - Oliver Poetz
- NMI Natural and Medical Science Institute at the University of Tuebingen, Reutlingen, Germany; SIGNATOPE GmbH, Reutlingen, Germany
| | | | - Rob Roggeband
- European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA), Procter and Gamble Services Company NV/SA, Strombeek-Bever, Belgium
| | - Vera Rogiers
- Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Adrian Roth
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Sanders
- Fougeres Laboratory, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Fougères, France France
| | - Russell S Thomas
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE), United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Durham, USA
| | | | | | | | - Andreas Luch
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Tewes Tralau
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
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Smalling KL, Romanok KM, Bradley PM, Morriss MC, Gray JL, Kanagy LK, Gordon SE, Williams BM, Breitmeyer SE, Jones DK, DeCicco LA, Eagles-Smith CA, Wagner T. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in United States tapwater: Comparison of underserved private-well and public-supply exposures and associated health implications. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108033. [PMID: 37356308 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Drinking-water quality is a rising concern in the United States (US), emphasizing the need to broadly assess exposures and potential health effects at the point-of-use. Drinking-water exposures to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a national concern, however, there is limited information on PFAS in residential tapwater at the point-of-use, especially from private-wells. We conducted a national reconnaissance to compare human PFAS exposures in unregulated private-well and regulated public-supply tapwater. Tapwater from 716 locations (269 private-wells; 447 public supply) across the US was collected during 2016-2021 including three locations where temporal sampling was conducted. Concentrations of PFAS were assessed by three laboratories and compared with land-use and potential-source metrics to explore drivers of contamination. The number of individual PFAS observed ranged from 1 to 9 (median: 2) with corresponding cumulative concentrations (sum of detected PFAS) ranging from 0.348 to 346 ng/L. Seventeen PFAS were observed at least once with PFBS, PFHxS and PFOA observed most frequently in approximately 15% of the samples. Across the US, PFAS profiles and estimated median cumulative concentrations were similar among private wells and public-supply tapwater. We estimate that at least one PFAS could be detected in about 45% of US drinking-water samples. These detection probabilities varied spatially with limited temporal variation in concentrations/numbers of PFAS detected. Benchmark screening approaches indicated potential human exposure risk was dominated by PFOA and PFOS, when detected. Potential source and land-use information was related to cumulative PFAS concentrations, and the number of PFAS detected; however, corresponding relations with specific PFAS were limited likely due to low detection frequencies and higher detection limits. Information generated supports the need for further assessments of cumulative health risks of PFAS as a class and in combination with other co-occurring contaminants, particularly in unmonitored private-wells where information is limited or not available.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tyler Wagner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Cordova AC, Klaren WD, Ford LC, Grimm FA, Baker ES, Zhou YH, Wright FA, Rusyn I. Integrative Chemical-Biological Grouping of Complex High Production Volume Substances from Lower Olefin Manufacturing Streams. TOXICS 2023; 11:586. [PMID: 37505552 PMCID: PMC10385386 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Human cell-based test methods can be used to evaluate potential hazards of mixtures and products of petroleum refining ("unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products, or biological materials" substances, UVCBs). Analyses of bioactivity and detailed chemical characterization of petroleum UVCBs were used separately for grouping these substances; a combination of the approaches has not been undertaken. Therefore, we used a case example of representative high production volume categories of petroleum UVCBs, 25 lower olefin substances from low benzene naphtha and resin oils categories, to determine whether existing manufacturing-based category grouping can be supported. We collected two types of data: nontarget ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry of both neat substances and their organic extracts and in vitro bioactivity of the organic extracts in five human cell types: umbilical vein endothelial cells and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes, endothelial cells, neurons, and cardiomyocytes. We found that while similarity in composition and bioactivity can be observed for some substances, existing categories are largely heterogeneous. Strong relationships between composition and bioactivity were observed, and individual constituents that determine these associations were identified. Overall, this study showed a promising approach that combines chemical composition and bioactivity data to better characterize the variability within manufacturing categories of petroleum UVCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra C Cordova
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - William D Klaren
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Lucie C Ford
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Fabian A Grimm
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Erin S Baker
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yi-Hui Zhou
- Departments of Statistics and Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Fred A Wright
- Departments of Statistics and Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Olsen AK, Li D, Li L. Explore the Dosimetric Relationship between the Intake of Chemical Contaminants and Their Occurrence in Blood and Urine. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:9526-9537. [PMID: 37347917 PMCID: PMC10324601 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
The dosimetric relationship between the human intake dose of a chemical contaminant (an "external dose") and its concentrations in bodily fluids such as blood and urine (related to an "internal dose"), often characterized by a dose-to-concentration ratio, has critical applications in exposure science, toxicology, and risk assessment, especially in the "new approach methods" era. However, there is a lack of a mechanistic, systematic understanding of how such a dosimetric relationship depends on fundamental chemical properties, such as partition coefficients and biotransformation half-lives. Here, we investigate this issue using a well-evaluated toxicokinetic model, which links external and internal doses by quantifying the absorption and elimination of chemicals. Results are visualized in a series of chemical partitioning space plots, whereby a chemical's dose-to-concentration ratio can be approximately predicted based on its partitioning between air, water, and octanol phases. Our results indicate that when taken in equal doses, chemicals with low volatility and moderate to high hydrophobicity exhibit the highest concentrations in the blood, and chemicals undergoing significant biotransformation tend to exhibit lower concentrations in comparison to their counterparts undergoing negligible biotransformation but possessing similar partitioning properties. Chemicals with high hydrophilicity have the highest concentrations in urine. Such revealed property dependence is similar for both adults and children and for individuals with normal body weights and with obesity. Overall, insights gained from this study are important in predicting blood and urinary concentrations from exposure information and in determining the exposure rate that produces the blood or urinary concentrations observed in biomonitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K. Olsen
- School of Public Health, University
of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557-0274, United States
| | - Dingsheng Li
- School of Public Health, University
of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557-0274, United States
| | - Li Li
- School of Public Health, University
of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557-0274, United States
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40
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Yang C, Rathman JF, Mostrag A, Ribeiro JV, Hobocienski B, Magdziarz T, Kulkarni S, Barton-Maclaren T. High Throughput Read-Across for Screening a Large Inventory of Related Structures by Balancing Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and Human Knowledge. Chem Res Toxicol 2023. [PMID: 37399585 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.3c00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Read-across is an in silico method applied in chemical risk assessment for data-poor chemicals. The read-across outcomes for repeated-dose toxicity end points include the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) and estimated uncertainty for a particular category of effects. We have previously developed a new paradigm for estimating NOAELs based on chemoinformatics analysis and experimental study qualities from selected analogues, not relying on quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) or rule-based SAR systems, which are not well-suited to end points for which the underpinning data are weakly grounded in specific chemical-biological interactions. The central hypothesis of this approach is that similar compounds have similar toxicity profiles and, hence, similar NOAEL values. Analogue quality (AQ) quantifies the suitability of an analogue candidate for reading across to the target by considering similarity from structure, physicochemical, ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion), and biological perspectives. Biological similarity is based on experimental data; assay vectors derived from aggregations of ToxCast/Tox21 data are used to derive machine learning (ML) hybrid rules that serve as biological fingerprints to capture target-analogue similarity relevant to specific effects of interest, for example, hormone receptors (ER/AR/THR). Once one or more analogues have been qualified for read-across, a decision theory approach is used to estimate confidence bounds for the NOAEL of the target. The confidence interval is dramatically narrowed when analogues are constrained to biologically related profiles. Although this read-across process works well for a single target with several analogues, it can become unmanageable when, for example, screening multiple targets (e.g., virtual screening library) or handling a parent compound having numerous metabolites. To this end, we have established a digitalized framework to enable the assessment of a large number of substances, while still allowing for human decisions for filtering and prioritization. This workflow was developed and validated through a use case of a large set of bisphenols and their metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James F Rathman
- MN-AM, Columbus, Ohio 43215, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Sunil Kulkarni
- Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Tara Barton-Maclaren
- Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
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41
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Tsai HHD, House JS, Wright FA, Chiu WA, Rusyn I. A tiered testing strategy based on in vitro phenotypic and transcriptomic data for selecting representative petroleum UVCBs for toxicity evaluation in vivo. Toxicol Sci 2023; 193:219-233. [PMID: 37079747 PMCID: PMC10230285 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad041] [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: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hazard evaluation of substances of "unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products and biological materials" (UVCBs) remains a major challenge in regulatory science because their chemical composition is difficult to ascertain. Petroleum substances are representative UVCBs and human cell-based data have been previously used to substantiate their groupings for regulatory submissions. We hypothesized that a combination of phenotypic and transcriptomic data could be integrated to make decisions as to selection of group-representative worst-case petroleum UVCBs for subsequent toxicity evaluation in vivo. We used data obtained from 141 substances from 16 manufacturing categories previously tested in 6 human cell types (induced pluripotent stem cell [iPSC]-derived hepatocytes, cardiomyocytes, neurons, and endothelial cells, and MCF7 and A375 cell lines). Benchmark doses for gene-substance combinations were calculated, and both transcriptomic and phenotype-derived points of departure (PODs) were obtained. Correlation analysis and machine learning were used to assess associations between phenotypic and transcriptional PODs and to determine the most informative cell types and assays, thus representing a cost-effective integrated testing strategy. We found that 2 cell types-iPSC-derived-hepatocytes and -cardiomyocytes-contributed the most informative and protective PODs and may be used to inform selection of representative petroleum UVCBs for further toxicity evaluation in vivo. Overall, although the use of new approach methodologies to prioritize UVCBs has not been widely adopted, our study proposes a tiered testing strategy based on iPSC-derived hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes to inform selection of representative worst-case petroleum UVCBs from each manufacturing category for further toxicity evaluation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Hsuan Doris Tsai
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - John S House
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Fred A Wright
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
- Department of Statistics and Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603, USA
| | - Weihsueh A Chiu
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Reardon AJF, Farmahin R, Williams A, Meier MJ, Addicks GC, Yauk CL, Matteo G, Atlas E, Harrill J, Everett LJ, Shah I, Judson R, Ramaiahgari S, Ferguson SS, Barton-Maclaren TS. From vision toward best practices: Evaluating in vitro transcriptomic points of departure for application in risk assessment using a uniform workflow. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2023; 5:1194895. [PMID: 37288009 PMCID: PMC10242042 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1194895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The growing number of chemicals in the current consumer and industrial markets presents a major challenge for regulatory programs faced with the need to assess the potential risks they pose to human and ecological health. The increasing demand for hazard and risk assessment of chemicals currently exceeds the capacity to produce the toxicity data necessary for regulatory decision making, and the applied data is commonly generated using traditional approaches with animal models that have limited context in terms of human relevance. This scenario provides the opportunity to implement novel, more efficient strategies for risk assessment purposes. This study aims to increase confidence in the implementation of new approach methods in a risk assessment context by using a parallel analysis to identify data gaps in current experimental designs, reveal the limitations of common approaches deriving transcriptomic points of departure, and demonstrate the strengths in using high-throughput transcriptomics (HTTr) to derive practical endpoints. A uniform workflow was applied across six curated gene expression datasets from concentration-response studies containing 117 diverse chemicals, three cell types, and a range of exposure durations, to determine tPODs based on gene expression profiles. After benchmark concentration modeling, a range of approaches was used to determine consistent and reliable tPODs. High-throughput toxicokinetics were employed to translate in vitro tPODs (µM) to human-relevant administered equivalent doses (AEDs, mg/kg-bw/day). The tPODs from most chemicals had AEDs that were lower (i.e., more conservative) than apical PODs in the US EPA CompTox chemical dashboard, suggesting in vitro tPODs would be protective of potential effects on human health. An assessment of multiple data points for single chemicals revealed that longer exposure duration and varied cell culture systems (e.g., 3D vs. 2D) lead to a decreased tPOD value that indicated increased chemical potency. Seven chemicals were flagged as outliers when comparing the ratio of tPOD to traditional POD, thus indicating they require further assessment to better understand their hazard potential. Our findings build confidence in the use of tPODs but also reveal data gaps that must be addressed prior to their adoption to support risk assessment applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J. F. Reardon
- Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Reza Farmahin
- Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew Williams
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew J. Meier
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gregory C. Addicks
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Carole L. Yauk
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Geronimo Matteo
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ella Atlas
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Joshua Harrill
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Logan J. Everett
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Imran Shah
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Richard Judson
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sreenivasa Ramaiahgari
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Mechanistic Toxicology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Stephen S. Ferguson
- Division of Translational Toxicology, Mechanistic Toxicology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Tara S. Barton-Maclaren
- Existing Substances Risk Assessment Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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43
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Rivetti C, Campos B. Establishing a NexGen, mechanism-based environmental risk assessment paradigm shift: Are we ready yet? INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2023; 19:571-573. [PMID: 37096997 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Rivetti
- Unilever, Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Bedfordshire, UK
- IEAM Senior Editor
| | - Bruno Campos
- Unilever, Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Bedfordshire, UK
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44
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Nyffeler J, Willis C, Harris FR, Foster MJ, Chambers B, Culbreth M, Brockway RE, Davidson-Fritz S, Dawson D, Shah I, Friedman KP, Chang D, Everett LJ, Wambaugh JF, Patlewicz G, Harrill JA. Application of cell painting for chemical hazard evaluation in support of screening-level chemical assessments. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 468:116513. [PMID: 37044265 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
'Cell Painting' is an imaging-based high-throughput phenotypic profiling (HTPP) method in which cultured cells are fluorescently labeled to visualize subcellular structures (i.e., nucleus, nucleoli, endoplasmic reticulum, cytoskeleton, Golgi apparatus / plasma membrane and mitochondria) and to quantify morphological changes in response to chemicals or other perturbagens. HTPP is a high-throughput and cost-effective bioactivity screening method that detects effects associated with many different molecular mechanisms in an untargeted manner, enabling rapid in vitro hazard assessment for thousands of chemicals. Here, 1201 chemicals from the ToxCast library were screened in concentration-response up to ~100 μM in human U-2 OS cells using HTPP. A phenotype altering concentration (PAC) was estimated for chemicals active in the tested range. PACs tended to be higher than lower bound potency values estimated from a broad collection of targeted high-throughput assays, but lower than the threshold for cytotoxicity. In vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) was used to estimate administered equivalent doses (AEDs) based on PACs for comparison to human exposure predictions. AEDs for 18/412 chemicals overlapped with predicted human exposures. Phenotypic profile information was also leveraged to identify putative mechanisms of action and group chemicals. Of 58 known nuclear receptor modulators, only glucocorticoids and retinoids produced characteristic profiles; and both receptor types are expressed in U-2 OS cells. Thirteen chemicals with profile similarity to glucocorticoids were tested in a secondary screen and one chemical, pyrene, was confirmed by an orthogonal gene expression assay as a novel putative GR modulating chemical. Most active chemicals demonstrated profiles not associated with a known mechanism-of-action. However, many structurally related chemicals produced similar profiles, with exceptions such as diniconazole, whose profile differed from other active conazoles. Overall, the present study demonstrates how HTPP can be applied in screening-level chemical assessments through a series of examples and brief case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Nyffeler
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Postdoctoral Fellow, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States of America
| | - Clinton Willis
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Felix R Harris
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America; Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) National Student Services Contractor, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States of America
| | - M J Foster
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America; Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) National Student Services Contractor, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States of America
| | - Bryant Chambers
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Megan Culbreth
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Richard E Brockway
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America; Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) National Student Services Contractor, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States of America
| | - Sarah Davidson-Fritz
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Daniel Dawson
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Imran Shah
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Katie Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Dan Chang
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Logan J Everett
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - John F Wambaugh
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Grace Patlewicz
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America
| | - Joshua A Harrill
- Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC 27711, United States of America.
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45
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Bradley PM, Kolpin DW, Thompson DA, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Breitmeyer SE, Cardon MC, Cwiertny DM, Evans N, Field RW, Focazio MJ, Beane Freeman LE, Givens CE, Gray JL, Hager GL, Hladik ML, Hofmann JN, Jones RR, Kanagy LK, Lane RF, McCleskey RB, Medgyesi D, Medlock-Kakaley EK, Meppelink SM, Meyer MT, Stavreva DA, Ward MH. Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161672. [PMID: 36657670 PMCID: PMC9976626 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In the United States and globally, contaminant exposure in unregulated private-well point-of-use tapwater (TW) is a recognized public-health data gap and an obstacle to both risk-management and homeowner decision making. To help address the lack of data on broad contaminant exposures in private-well TW from hydrologically-vulnerable (alluvial, karst) aquifers in agriculturally-intensive landscapes, samples were collected in 2018-2019 from 47 northeast Iowa farms and analyzed for 35 inorganics, 437 unique organics, 5 in vitro bioassays, and 11 microbial assays. Twenty-six inorganics and 51 organics, dominated by pesticides and related transformation products (35 herbicide-, 5 insecticide-, and 2 fungicide-related), were observed in TW. Heterotrophic bacteria detections were near ubiquitous (94 % of the samples), with detection of total coliform bacteria in 28 % of the samples and growth on at least one putative-pathogen selective media across all TW samples. Health-based hazard index screening levels were exceeded frequently in private-well TW and attributed primarily to inorganics (nitrate, uranium). Results support incorporation of residential treatment systems to protect against contaminant exposure and the need for increased monitoring of rural private-well homes. Continued assessment of unmonitored and unregulated private-supply TW is needed to model contaminant exposures and human-health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mary C Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rena R Jones
- National Cancer Institute/NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mary H Ward
- National Cancer Institute/NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
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Mitchell CA, Burden N, Bonnell M, Hecker M, Hutchinson TH, Jagla M, LaLone CA, Lagadic L, Lynn SG, Shore B, Song Y, Vliet SM, Wheeler JR, Embry MR. New Approach Methodologies for the Endocrine Activity Toolbox: Environmental Assessment for Fish and Amphibians. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:757-777. [PMID: 36789969 PMCID: PMC10258674 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Multiple in vivo test guidelines focusing on the estrogen, androgen, thyroid, and steroidogenesis pathways have been developed and validated for mammals, amphibians, or fish. However, these tests are resource-intensive and often use a large number of laboratory animals. Developing alternatives for in vivo tests is consistent with the replacement, reduction, and refinement principles for animal welfare considerations, which are supported by increasing mandates to move toward an "animal-free" testing paradigm worldwide. New approach methodologies (NAMs) hold great promise to identify molecular, cellular, and tissue changes that can be used to predict effects reliably and more efficiently at the individual level (and potentially on populations) while reducing the number of animals used in (eco)toxicological testing for endocrine disruption. In a collaborative effort, experts from government, academia, and industry met in 2020 to discuss the current challenges of testing for endocrine activity assessment for fish and amphibians. Continuing this cross-sector initiative, our review focuses on the current state of the science regarding the use of NAMs to identify chemical-induced endocrine effects. The present study highlights the challenges of using NAMs for safety assessment and what work is needed to reduce their uncertainties and increase their acceptance in regulatory processes. We have reviewed the current NAMs available for endocrine activity assessment including in silico, in vitro, and eleutheroembryo models. New approach methodologies can be integrated as part of a weight-of-evidence approach for hazard or risk assessment using the adverse outcome pathway framework. The development and utilization of NAMs not only allows for replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal testing but can also provide robust and fit-for-purpose methods to identify chemicals acting via endocrine mechanisms. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:757-777. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natalie Burden
- National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Bonnell
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Markus Hecker
- Toxicology Centre and School of the Environment & Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | | | | | - Carlie A. LaLone
- Office of Research and Development, Great Lakes Toxicology & Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, Minnesota
| | - Laurent Lagadic
- Research and Development, Crop Science, Environmental Safety, Bayer, Monheim am Rhein, Germany
| | - Scott G. Lynn
- Office of Pesticide Programs, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
| | - Bryon Shore
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - You Song
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sara M. Vliet
- Office of Research and Development, Scientific Computing and Data Curation Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, Minnesota
| | | | - Michelle R. Embry
- The Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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Carstens KE, Freudenrich T, Wallace K, Choo S, Carpenter A, Smeltz M, Clifton MS, Henderson WM, Richard AM, Patlewicz G, Wetmore BA, Paul Friedman K, Shafer T. Evaluation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) In Vitro Toxicity Testing for Developmental Neurotoxicity. Chem Res Toxicol 2023; 36:402-419. [PMID: 36821828 PMCID: PMC10249374 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse set of commercial chemicals widely detected in humans and the environment. However, only a limited number of PFAS are associated with epidemiological or experimental data for hazard identification. To provide developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) hazard information, the work herein employed DNT new approach methods (NAMs) to generate in vitro screening data for a set of 160 PFAS. The DNT NAMs battery was comprised of the microelectrode array neuronal network formation assay (NFA) and high-content imaging (HCI) assays to evaluate proliferation, apoptosis, and neurite outgrowth. The majority of PFAS (118/160) were inactive or equivocal in the DNT NAMs, leaving 42 active PFAS that decreased measures of neural network connectivity and neurite length. Analytical quality control indicated 43/118 inactive PFAS samples and 10/42 active PFAS samples were degraded; as such, careful interpretation is required as some negatives may have been due to loss of the parent PFAS, and some actives may have resulted from a mixture of parent and/or degradants of PFAS. PFAS containing a perfluorinated carbon (C) chain length ≥8, a high C:fluorine ratio, or a carboxylic acid moiety were more likely to be bioactive in the DNT NAMs. Of the PFAS positives in DNT NAMs, 85% were also active in other EPA ToxCast assays, whereas 79% of PFAS inactives in the DNT NAMs were active in other assays. These data demonstrate that a subset of PFAS perturb neurodevelopmental processes in vitro and suggest focusing future studies of DNT on PFAS with certain structural feature descriptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly E Carstens
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Theresa Freudenrich
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Kathleen Wallace
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Seline Choo
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Amy Carpenter
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Marci Smeltz
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Matthew S Clifton
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - W Matthew Henderson
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Ann M Richard
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Grace Patlewicz
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Barbara A Wetmore
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Katie Paul Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Timothy Shafer
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, ORD, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
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48
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Silva M, Kwok RKH. Use of computational toxicology models to predict toxicological points of departure: A case study with triazine herbicides. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:525-544. [PMID: 36584090 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atrazine simazine and propazine, widely used triazine herbicides on food crops and in residential areas, disrupt the neuroendocrine system raising human health concerns. USEPA developed a PBPK model based on triazine common Mode of Action (MOA)-suppression of luteinizing hormone surge in female rats-to generate human regulatory points of departure (POD: mg/kg/day). We compared triazine Human Administered Equivalent Dose (AEDHuman mg/kg/day) predictions from open access computational tools to the PBPK PODs to assess concordance. METHODS Computational tools were the following: ToxCast/Tox21 in vitro assays; Toxicogenomic databases to assess concordance with ToxCast/Tox21 targets; integrated chemical environment (ICE) models with ToxCast/Tox21 inputs to predict AEDHuman PODs and population-based age-refined high throughput toxicokinetics (HTTK-Pop) to compare to age-related PBPK PODs. RESULTS ToxCast/Tox21 assays identified critical targets in the triazine common MOA and gene databases; ICE AEDHuman predictions were mainly concordant with the USEPA PBPK PODs quantitatively. Low fold-differences between PBPK POD and ICE AEDHuman predictions indicated that the ICE models are health-protective. HTTK-Pop age-refinements were within 10-fold of the USEPA PBPK PODs. CONCLUSIONS CompTox tools were used to identify assay targets in the MOA and identify potential molecular initiating targets in the adverse outcome pathway for potential use in risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn Silva
- Retired from the California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, California, USA
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Fentem JH. The 19th FRAME Annual Lecture, November 2022: Safer Chemicals and Sustainable Innovation Will Be Achieved by Regulatory Use of Modern Safety Science, Not by More Animal Testing. Altern Lab Anim 2023; 51:90-101. [PMID: 36856032 DOI: 10.1177/02611929231158236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
The decisions we make on chemical safety, for consumers, workers and the environment, must be based on the best scientific data and knowledge available. Rapid advances in biology, in cell-based technologies and assays, and in analytical and computational approaches, have led to new types of highly relevant scientific data being generated. Such data enable us to improve the safety decisions we make, whilst also enabling us to avoid animal testing. Stimulated by the UK and EU bans on animal testing for cosmetics, Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) approaches, which integrate various types of non-animal scientific data, have been established for assessing the safety of chemical ingredients used in cosmetics and other consumer products. In stark contrast, the chemicals regulations in Europe and other parts of the world have not kept pace with modern safety science and regulators are now mandating even more animal testing. Urgently closing this science-regulation gap is essential to upholding the EU's legislative requirement that any animal testing is a last resort. The ongoing revisions of UK and EU chemicals strategy and regulations provide an opportunity to fundamentally change the design and assessment paradigm needed to underpin safe and more sustainable innovation, through applying the best science and tools available rather than continuing to be anchored in animal tests dating back many decades. A range of initiatives have recently been launched in response to this urgent need, in the UK as well as in the EU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia H Fentem
- 3099Unilever Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Bedford, UK
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50
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Aurisano N, Jolliet O, Chiu WA, Judson R, Jang S, Unnikrishnan A, Kosnik MB, Fantke P. Probabilistic Points of Departure and Reference Doses for Characterizing Human Noncancer and Developmental/Reproductive Effects for 10,145 Chemicals. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:37016. [PMID: 36989077 PMCID: PMC10056221 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regulatory toxicity values used to assess and manage chemical risks rely on the determination of the point of departure (POD) for a critical effect, which results from a comprehensive and systematic assessment of available toxicity studies. However, regulatory assessments are only available for a small fraction of chemicals. OBJECTIVES Using in vivo experimental animal data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Toxicity Value Database, we developed a semiautomated approach to determine surrogate oral route PODs, and corresponding toxicity values where regulatory assessments are unavailable. METHODS We developed a curated data set restricted to effect levels, exposure routes, study designs, and species relevant for deriving toxicity values. Effect levels were adjusted to chronic human equivalent benchmark doses (BMDh). We hypothesized that a quantile of the BMDh distribution could serve as a surrogate POD and determined the appropriate quantile by calibration to regulatory PODs. Finally, we characterized uncertainties around the surrogate PODs from intra- and interstudy variability and derived probabilistic toxicity values using a standardized workflow. RESULTS The BMDh distribution for each chemical was adequately fit by a lognormal distribution, and the 25th percentile best predicted the available regulatory PODs [R2≥0.78, residual standard error (RSE)≤0.53 log10 units]. We derived surrogate PODs for 10,145 chemicals from the curated data set, differentiating between general noncancer and reproductive/developmental effects, with typical uncertainties (at 95% confidence) of a factor of 10 and 12, respectively. From these PODs, probabilistic reference doses (1% incidence at 95% confidence), as well as human population effect doses (10% incidence), were derived. DISCUSSION In providing surrogate PODs calibrated to regulatory values and deriving corresponding toxicity values, we have substantially expanded the coverage of chemicals from 744 to 8,023 for general noncancer effects, and from 41 to 6,697 for reproductive/developmental effects. These results can be used across various risk assessment and risk management contexts, from hazardous site and life cycle impact assessments to chemical prioritization and substitution. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11524.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Aurisano
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Olivier Jolliet
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Weihsueh A. Chiu
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Richard Judson
- National Center for Computational Toxicology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Suji Jang
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Aswani Unnikrishnan
- National Center for Computational Toxicology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marissa B. Kosnik
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Peter Fantke
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
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