From the exposome to mechanistic understanding of chemical-induced adverse effects

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Beate I. Escher, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Jorg Hackermuller, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Tobias Polte, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Stefan Scholz, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Achim Aigner, University of Leipzig; Rolf Altenburger, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Alexander Boehme, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Stephanie K. Bopp, European Commission Joint Research Centre; Werner Brack, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Wibke Busch, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Marc Chadeau-Hyam, University of London; Adrian Covaci, University of Antwerp; Adolf Eisentraeger, German Environment Agency UBA; James J. Galligan, Vanderbilt University; Natalia Garcia-Reyero, US Army Engineer Research & Development Center; Thomas Hartung, Johns Hopkins University; Michaela Hein, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Gunda Herberth, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Annika Jahnke, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Jos Kleinjans, Maastricht University; Nils Kluever, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Martin Krauss, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Marja Lamoree, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Irina Lehmann, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Till Luckenbach, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Gary Miller, Emory University; Andrea Mueller, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; David H. Phillips, Kings College London; Thorsten Reemtsma, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Gerrit Schueuermann, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Benno Schwikowski, Institute Pasteur Paris; Yu-Mei Tan, US Environmental Protection Agency; Saskia Trump, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Susanne Walter-Rohde, German Environment Agency UBA; John F. Wambaugh, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Language: English
• Date: 2017-02-01
• Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2016 The Authors
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.11.029
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
• Volume: 99
• Start Page: 97
• End Page: 106
• Grant/Funding Information: We thank the Integrated Project “Exposome” at UFZ for funding of the workshop.
• Keywords: Systems toxicology; Exposome; SYSTEMS TOXICOLOGY; Systems biology; ORGANIC MICROPOLLUTANTS; Environmental Sciences; Science & Technology; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; INTEGRATED TESTING STRATEGIES; ENVIRONMENTAL RISK-ASSESSMENT; EFFECT-DIRECTED ANALYSIS; OUTCOME PATHWAYS; SAFETY ASSESSMENT; Systems chemistry; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Risk assessment; AOP; PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS; HUMAN HAZARD CHARACTERIZATION; GENE-EXPRESSION DATA
• Research Categories: Biology, Ecology; Biology, Genetics

Abstract

The exposome encompasses an individual's exposure to exogenous chemicals, as well as endogenous chemicals that are produced or altered in response to external stressors. While the exposome concept has been established for human health, its principles can be extended to include broader ecological issues. The assessment of exposure is tightly interlinked with hazard assessment. Here, we explore if mechanistic understanding of the causal links between exposure and adverse effects on human health and the environment can be improved by integrating the exposome approach with the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept that structures and organizes the sequence of biological events from an initial molecular interaction of a chemical with a biological target to an adverse outcome. Complementing exposome research with the AOP concept may facilitate a mechanistic understanding of stress-induced adverse effects, examine the relative contributions from various components of the exposome, determine the primary risk drivers in complex mixtures, and promote an integrative assessment of chemical risks for both human and environmental health.