Cross-species Applicability of Quantitative Adverse Outcome Pathway

Abstract

The literature to date paints an optimistic picture: quantitative AOP models, though in their infancy, have been successfully constructed and even applied across species for several key pathways. The mechanistic clarity of AOPs, combined with quantitative modeling, provides a powerful framework for translating toxicity data from one species to another based on biological commonalities rather than crude assumptions. By continuing to improve data quality, modeling practices, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, we can expect qAOPs to become increasingly central in both human health and ecological risk assessments. They represent a move toward precision toxicology across species – using the shared language of biology to predict how different organisms will respond to chemical challenges. This aligns with the vision of “21st century toxicology” and One Health approaches, where protecting environmental species and human health go hand in hand, informed by shared mechanistic understanding. The progress reviewed here, along with the identified gaps, will guide the next decade of research toward truly integrative, predictive, and cross-species toxicological science.