The application of omics data to the development of AOPs

Abstract

Omics approaches offer potential for use in chemical hazard and risk assessments when applied as part of a systems toxicology or integrative approach, and when considered in the context of the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework. Omics data provide individual snapshots of gene expression, protein expression and metabolite activity. When integrated, these individual snapshots yield deep biological insights. Omics can provide mechanistic information about the effects of chemicals and can help decipher toxicity mechanisms and modes of action. Omics data have the potential to increase confidence in species extrapolation, and can be used to identify biomarkers of exposure and toxicity. Although omics have been used for more than a decade, acceptance of omics data in regulated applications has been slow. The toxicology community is grappling with how to make use of omics data in a regulatory framework, and how to use AOPs to drive regulatory decision-making processes. In this chapter, an overview of major omics is provided that includes recent advances and describes the potential application of omics data to the development of AOPS while defining some of the challenges associated with the broader acceptance of omics within a regulatory toxicology framework.