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Predictive approaches for cross-species extrapolation in ecotoxicology
Citation:
Vliet, S., D. Blatz, AND C. LaLone. Predictive approaches for cross-species extrapolation in ecotoxicology. Southern California Society of Toxicology and Chemistry Virtual Meeting, Duluth, MN, October 16, 2020. https://doi.org/10.23645/epacomptox.13058225
Impact/Purpose:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA) mission to protect both human health and wildlife requires an understanding of how different species respond to chemical exposures in the environment. Although it’s clear that some chemicals cause negative effects across species, very few chemicals have been tested because of the many resources and animals needed to test each chemical. Using computer-based experiments, carrying out large reviews of available toxicity data, and conducting laboratory experiments, the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division (GLTED) is working to understand if current mammalian-based testing methods can predict toxicity in other organisms. Results of this research will provide evidence for conservation of chemical targets across species and inform the use of mammalian tests to predict toxicity in non-mammalian species.
Description:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Office of Research and Development is responsible for conducting the research necessary to provide a foundation for credible decision-making. In maintaining the U.S. EPA’s mission to protect both human health and wildlife, new approach methods are being developed to quickly test chemicals and prioritize them for further testing. Although these screening methods are useful, it remains unclear if the results of these mammalian tests will predict toxicity in non-mammalian species. To address this challenge, research being conducted at the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division (GLTED) is directed at understanding and expanding the relevance of toxicity data generated within model organisms to organisms across taxa. We are currently working to expand in silico methods for predicting cross-species differences in susceptibility to chemical exposure and evaluating protein similarities and differences across species that may potentially impact the action of chemicals at the chemical receptor or target. Using systematic review of existing literature, in vitro molecular techniques, and in vivo laboratory exposures, we focus on validating these predictions through targeted experimentation. Overall, this work provides lines of evidence toward structural conservation of chemical targets across species and provides insight into the utility of mammalian tests to predict toxicity in non-mammalian species.
