{"title":"Assessing the KEMI approach for determining the size of mixture assessment factors needed to protect aquatic receptors from chemical mixtures in surface waters","authors":"Paul S. Price , Marion Junghans","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This article discusses the Swedish Chemicals Agency's proposal for estimating the size of a Mixture Assessment Factor (the KEMI MAF) for aquatic mixtures of chemicals. The KEMI MAF is an improvement over earlier approaches but is dependent on factors that are uncertain, such as: the number of chemicals that reach an aquatic receptor, the allocation of chemicals into assessment groups, and the impacts of future regulations on chemical concentrations in water. This article demonstrates that these uncertainties have significant impacts on the size of MAFs required for aquatic receptors. As part of this assessment a simplified method of calculating the KEMI MAF was developed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100426"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47889975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The microbiomes of wildlife and chemical pollution: Status, knowledge gaps and challenges","authors":"R.D. Handy , N.J. Clark , L.P. Hutt , R. Bescós","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100428","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100428","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The effect of chemical pollution on the microbiomes of wildlife has been given little attention. A new concept is emerging where microbiomes are vital to host animal or plant health, and for ecosystems. Data are mainly on mammals, birds, and fish. Changing environmental conditions (e.g., salinity, pH, season) and exposure to chemicals alter the composition of gill, gut and skin microbiomes. Gut microbiomes are also modulated by diet, and exposure to chemicals including metals, nanomaterials, fungicides or microplastics. However, a change in the microbiome does not necessarily infer adverse effects on the host, with some evidence of co-adaptation. Environmental risk assessment for biocides and new nanomaterials should be revisited in context with microbiome-host interactions to better protect wildlife and ecosystems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100428"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47639479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria Margalef, Jeroen Meijer, Marja Lamoree, Timo Hamers
{"title":"Interdisciplinary strategies to assess the relationship between exposure to complex chemical mixtures and thyroid hormone system disruption","authors":"Maria Margalef, Jeroen Meijer, Marja Lamoree, Timo Hamers","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The possible risk that exposure to chemicals leads to disruption of the thyroid hormone (TH) system in humans and animals can be assessed through biomonitoring of chemicals for which TH system disruption has been demonstrated in animal studies. In addition, epidemiological studies may establish a relationship between exposure to chemicals and adverse outcomes on the thyroid hormone system. However, such studies are often limited to single chemicals or classes of chemicals, and do not account for the complex mixtures to which humans and animals are exposed, consisting of multiple chemicals that in combination may affect similar or different endpoints in the TH system. The use of <em>in vivo</em>, and <em>in vitro</em> studies using complex extracts coming from real-life samples is necessary to unravel the specific effects that chemical mixtures inflict on the TH system. In addition, approaches such as effect-directed analysis that combine bioassays with integrated chemical analysis allow the identification of mixture risk drivers avoiding the loss of chemicals due to excessive sample processing.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100421"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45355773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"2D materials and the microbiome: More than a gut feeling","authors":"Guotao Peng , Bengt Fadeel","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span><span>Two-dimensional (2D) materials, including graphene-based materials, transition metal dichalcogenides, transition metal carbides and nitrides, and others, are increasingly developed for a wide range of applications owing to their exceptional and versatile properties. Understanding the biological interactions of 2D materials is critical for the safe and sustainable implementation of this emerging class of materials. Here, we discuss recent studies on the intricate interactions between 2D materials and the </span>microbiome that dwells in and on all vertebrates, and the consequent impact on the host. We also address the underlying mechanisms of the </span>antibacterial effects of 2D materials. Overall, investigations of 2D material interactions with the microbiome offer a new perspective on the biological impact of these materials.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100427"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46415677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The gut microbiome's potential to influence arsenic exposure","authors":"Qian Wang, Nicholas V. Pinkham, Seth T. Walk","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100431","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100431","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>More than 200 million people around the world are exposed to unsafe levels of the environmental toxicant, arsenic. Both acute and chronic exposures, primarily through contaminated drinking water, are significant public health concerns. Human genetics<span> does not fully explain observed arsenic-related diseases (arsenicosis), suggesting that other factors such as the microbiome play important roles in determining risk following exposure. Microorganisms have evolved diverse pathways for mitigating the toxic effects of arsenic, which may theoretically increase or decrease human </span></span>arsenicosis<span><span> by altering toxicity. Here, we review the current state-of-the-art regarding the genetic<span> potential of microorganisms to influence arsenic toxicity, drawing particular attention to microbial arsenic </span></span>biotransformation.</span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100431"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46694053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emily Kwun Kwan Lo , Hoi Kit Matthew Leung , Fangfei Zhang , Hani El-Nezami
{"title":"Gut microbiota: Impact on 5-fluorouracil efficacy and toxicity","authors":"Emily Kwun Kwan Lo , Hoi Kit Matthew Leung , Fangfei Zhang , Hani El-Nezami","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100423","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly diseases worldwide. Despite medical advances, the survival rate of patients with cancer remains poor, and v many standard chemotherapeutic choices are associated with toxic side effects that substantially impair their quality of life. 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug. Administration of 5-Fu is known to cause diarrhoea and intestinal mucositis. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid produced during the fermentation of dietary fibre by the gut microbiota. Butyrate may mitigate 5-Fu's toxic effect of mucositis. In addition, butyrate enhanced the efficiency of 5-Fu. However, the pungent odour of butyrate renders it unpalatable to patients. The administration of butyrate-producing bacteria is a preferable alternative for patients seeking the positive effects of butyrate without an unpleasant taste. Furthermore, butyrate-producing bacteria could provide beneficial effects beyond butyrate production, including the restoration of microbial dysbiosis and anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, we provide an overview of the current research on butyrate-producing bacteria, concentrating on their possible effects and defence mechanism against 5-Fu toxicity, which indicates their potential applicability as an adjuvant treatment for patients with cancer.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100423"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49716320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Om Naphade , Kaitlyn Barham , Richard Spencer , Nancy C. Baker , Todd J. Zurlinden , Katerine S. Saili , Kelly Carstens , Aymeric Silvin , Florent Ginhoux , Thomas B. Knudsen
{"title":"Microglial dynamics, blood-brain barrier morphogenesis, and developmental toxicity: A brief review and computational model","authors":"Om Naphade , Kaitlyn Barham , Richard Spencer , Nancy C. Baker , Todd J. Zurlinden , Katerine S. Saili , Kelly Carstens , Aymeric Silvin , Florent Ginhoux , Thomas B. Knudsen","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span><span>Morphogenesis of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a complex process linked to </span>neovascularization of the embryonic </span>neural tube<span>. This selective transport interface forms between vascular-neural compartments during organogenesis<span><span> and dysregulation has been linked to neuroinflammation<span> and neurodevelopmental defects. One emerging concept is that microglial cells play a central role in this neurovascular patterning, yet despite an extensive literature base, many gaps still exist in understanding how this resident immunological sentinel cell type interacts with chemical exposure at critical stages of </span></span>neurodevelopment<span>. The goals of this short review were to: (i) synopsize current understanding of microglial function during BBB morphogenesis; (ii) review potential disruption of microglial function linked to drug/chemical exposure during pregnancy; and (iii) present a working computational model for predictive toxicology of BBB dysmorphogenesis.</span></span></span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100419"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48706138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How single-cell transcriptomics provides insight on hepatic responses to TCDD","authors":"Rance Nault","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100441","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100441","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The prototypical aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-<em>p</em>-dioxin (TCDD), has been a valuable model for investigating toxicant-associated fatty liver disease (TAFLD). TCDD induces dose-dependent hepatic lipid accumulation, followed by the development of inflammatory <em>foci</em> and eventual progression to fibrosis in mice. Previously, bulk approaches and <em>in vitro</em> examination of different cell types were relied upon to study the mechanisms underlying TCDD-induced liver pathologies. However, the advent of single-cell transcriptomic technologies, such as single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) and spatial transcriptomics (STx), has provided new insights into the responses of hepatic cell types to TCDD exposure. This review explores the application of these single-cell transcriptomic technologies and highlights their contributions towards unraveling the cell-specific mechanisms mediating the hepatic responses to TCDD.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100441"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89995181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Establishment of a testing system for juvenoids that disturb the sex determination system of Daphnia, based on a molecular interaction of ligands and the JH receptor","authors":"Hitoshi Miyakawa , Taisen Iguchi","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>Bioassays are the most common method of evaluating toxic effects of chemicals on living organisms. However, since simple bioassays cannot provide information on mechanisms of toxic effects, it is also important to establish test methods that yield clear molecular evidence derived from the adverse outcome pathway. It is possible that chemicals bearing juvenile hormone activity (juvenoids) used as insect growth regulators may seriously impact population viability by disturbing sex determination mechanisms in freshwater microcrustaceans, like </span><span><em>Daphnia</em></span><span>, a keystone species in lake ecosystems. This review describes the molecular mechanism by which juvenoid disrupts the sex determination of daphnids and also introduces a simple testing method we recently developed for substances with juvenile hormone activity using juvenile hormone receptors.</span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100425"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49046637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mixture toxicity: A hot topic in toxicology and chemical risk assessment","authors":"Martin van den Berg, Linda S. Birnbaum","doi":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cotox.2023.100443","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37736,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Toxicology","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100443"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135326270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}