bioRxiv Science⌕ Search

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.10.17.512512

Proteome integral solubility alteration assay combined with multi-criteria decision-making analysis for developing adverse outcome pathways

Abstract

Understanding the biological impact of chemicals is hindered by the high number and diversity of compounds in the market. To simplify the chemical risk assessment, the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) method has arisen as a framework to predict the impact of chemical exposure on human and environmental health. The development of this predictive tool requires knowledge of the molecular interaction between chemicals and protein targets. Those molecular initiating events connect alterations of cellular function with physiological impairment. This strategy aims to focus on the complex biological interaction to predict the impact on health. The high-throughput identification of all chemical targets can be obtained by a proteomics-based thermal shift assay, however, selecting the priority target candidate is a biased process strongly dependent on expert knowledge and literature. Here, we unravel new molecular initiating event from a tested chemical combining the target deconvolution by the proteome integral solubility alteration (PISA) assay, and the target selection by an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach. In the proof-of-concept study, we identified by PISA assay 8 protein targets for 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) from the soluble proteome from hepatic cells containing 2824 proteins. The definition of the AHP approach facilitates the selection of heat shock protein beta-1 (Hspb1) as the most suitable protein for developing AOPs. Our results demonstrated that the process of target identification is independent from a chemical characterization, and that the process of data curation and target selection is less sensitive to lack of toxicological information. We anticipate that this innovative integration of methods could decipher the chemical-protein interactions from new chemicals including the new alternative chemicals designed for chemical replacement and that would discover new molecular initiating events to support more sustainable methodologies to gain time and resources in chemicals assessment. SYNOPSISOur combined methodologies can determine the most suitable target to develop adverse outcome pathways from the proteome-wide protein target identification.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Lizano-Fallas, V., Carrasco del Amor, A., Cristobal, S.. 2022-10-21. Proteome integral solubility alteration assay combined with multi-criteria decision-making analysis for developing adverse outcome pathways. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.17.512512

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

PCB-Exposed Gut Microbiota Recapitulate Neurobehavioral Deficits and Reprogram Hippocampal Transcriptomic Signatures

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental pollutants associated with developmental neurotoxicity and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, whether PCB-induced alterations in gut microbiota contribute to neurodevelopmental toxicity independently of direct chemical exposure remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether transplantation of PCB-associated gut microbiota produces early neurobehavioral alterations and disrupts brain molecular pathways in offspring. Gut microbiota from conventional dams exposed to the Fox River PCB mixture (FRM; 6.0 mg/kg/day) or vehicle were transplanted into germ-free recipient females without direct PCB administration. At postnatal day 7 (P7), offspring underwent ultrasonic vocalization (USV) testing, whole-brain RNA sequencing (n = 4/sex/group), and untargeted serum metabolomics. Untargeted serum metabolomics were also performed in donor dams. PCB-associated fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) significantly reduced offspring USVs, reproducing effects observed following direct maternal PCB exposure. Brain transcriptomics in offspring identified substantially more differentially expressed genes in males (9,339) than females (1,082), including 512 shared genes. Concordantly regulated genes revealed downregulation of neurotransmitter signaling and ion channel pathways alongside upregulation of RNA processing pathways. Male-associated responses involved altered protein synthesis and neuronal signaling, whereas female-associated responses involved DNA repair and extracellular matrix remodeling. Despite these molecular differences, behavioral responses showed no significant sex-dependent effect. Maternal metabolomics revealed increased bile acids and decreased indole-3-propionic acid, highlighting potential AhR-NF{kappa}B and bile acid-associated signaling mechanisms. Offspring metabolomics further identified alterations in lipid-associated metabolites and metabolic profiles. Collectively, these findings show that transferring PCB-exposed microbiota reproduces early neurobehavioral alterations and induces shared and sex-biased molecular responses, identifying the maternal gut microbiome as a candidate mediator linking PCB exposure to developmental neurotoxicity.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

Cisplatin-triggered sensory dysfunction in NER-defective C. elegans involves GABAergic and cholinergic signaling

Cisplatin (CisPt) is a widely used anticancer drug that causes neurotoxicity as a dose-limiting adverse effect. DNA damage contributes to CisPt-induced neurotoxicity, yet the molecular mechanisms involved remain unclear. Here, we aim to identify pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to DNA damage-driven development of sensory neuronal dysfunction using the 3R-compliant model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. To this end, we employed the nucleotide excision repair (NER)-deficient ercc-1 mutant, which shows enhanced CisPt-induced sensory dysfunction as monitored by the chemotaxis assay, to elucidate drug-induced alterations in neurotransmission and transcriptome. We found that CisPt reduces gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the nematode and that GABA supplementation rescues ercc-1 mutants from CisPt-evoked sensory neurotoxicity, pointing to a neuroprotective function of GABA in the context of our study. Moreover, CisPt impairs the morphological integrity of GABAergic neurons particularly in ercc-1 mutants, which again is rescued by GABA substitution. Conversely, the cholinergic agonist carbachol impairs sensory function and exacerbates the neurotoxic effects of CisPt in ercc-1 mutants, indicating detrimental effects resulting from cholinergic excitation. Transcriptome analysis revealed that CisPt treatment stimulates a broard transcriptional response, including pathways involved in the regulation of neuronal communication, including acetylcholine-mediated neurotransmission, with pronounced effects occurring in the absence of ERCC-1. Based on these finding we suggest impaired GABAergic signaling and the loss of neuronal integrity GABAergic neurons as well as excessive cholinergic excitation as key mechanisms linking CisPt-induced DNA damage in NER defective nematodes to sensory dysfunction. Hence, targeting the balance between GABAergic inhibition and cholinergic excitation is suggested to counteract sensory neurotoxicity triggered by CisPt.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

Mathematical model of phenotypic plasticity predicts interconversion is a drug target for neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma is a paediatric cancer arising from the sympathetic nervous system as neural crest cells, made up of noradrenergic (NOR/ADRN/N), mesenchymal like (MES/S), and intermediate (I-type/I) cell types. These cells can interconvert between types, contributing to treatment resistance and relapse. We developed a mathematical model to investigate how interconversion patterns affect the efficacy of phenotype-specific inhibitors. We used three ordinary differential equations to describe the dynamics of the three populations, including logistic growth, interconversion, and drug-induced death. Of the 64 possible interconversion patterns, five reduced the target population: two for N cells and three for S cells. N targeting patterns were more effective with higher interconversion rates, while mesenchymal targeting patterns were more effective with lower interconversion rates. Stability analysis revealed that natural tumour growth was always unstable, but during treatment, N-suppressing patterns combined with an S inhibitor gave the most consistently stable origin. Testing multi-stage and cyclic treatment schedules revealed that N-suppressing patterns with an S inhibitor, followed by an S-suppressing pattern with an N inhibitor, achieved more reliable remission. Three of the five patterns of interest correspond to reported biological plausibility, and known compounds exist to induce most of the required transitions, supporting the clinical relevance of these strategies for improving neuroblastoma treatment outcomes.

pharmacology and toxicology↗