Crowdsourcing AOP development: Leveraging the thesis literature review to identify knowledge gaps and facilitate research translation

Abstract

Chemical risk assessment still primarily relies on extrapolation of data from high-confidence in vivo studies. Emerging 21st Century Toxicology tools and approaches have potential to figure more prominently in chemical risk assessment, but many challenges in translating this research into assessments remain. One of these tools, the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Wiki provides a framework to map and evaluate adverse chemical dynamics, that is the biochemical and physiological effects that occur after chemical exposure. The AOP-guided targeted review of relevant literature, described here, shares similarities with a doctoral thesis or literature review but forces critical evaluation of each step in a pathway including those of central dogma. Additionally, it provides valuable translational regulatory relevance. Data gaps identified through this process can be targeted areas of study in the thesis itself to increase translational relevance. One of the challenges with this tool is that many AOPs are under- or undeveloped. To help fill this need, a concerted effort by subject matter experts to speed the development of AOPs supported under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) framework would benefit this translational problem. As a case study, we present our experience developing AOP 460: Antagonism of Smoothened receptor leading to orofacial clefting (OECD AOP workplan project 1.101) as part of a graduate literature review. AOP development offers clear benefits to the regulatory and academic communities and increased dissemination of AOPs replete with the most current state of scientific knowledge will promote research translation and increased risk assessment capabilities.