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Relationship: 2286

Title

A descriptive phrase which clearly defines the two KEs being considered and the sequential relationship between them (i.e., which is upstream, and which is downstream). More help

Binding to ACE2 leads to Neuroinflammation

Upstream event
The causing Key Event (KE) in a Key Event Relationship (KER). More help
Binding to ACE2
Downstream event
The responding Key Event (KE) in a Key Event Relationship (KER). More help
Neuroinflammation

Key Event Relationship Overview

The utility of AOPs for regulatory application is defined, to a large extent, by the confidence and precision with which they facilitate extrapolation of data measured at low levels of biological organisation to predicted outcomes at higher levels of organisation and the extent to which they can link biological effect measurements to their specific causes.Within the AOP framework, the predictive relationships that facilitate extrapolation are represented by the KERs. Consequently, the overall WoE for an AOP is a reflection in part, of the level of confidence in the underlying series of KERs it encompasses. Therefore, describing the KERs in an AOP involves assembling and organising the types of information and evidence that defines the scientific basis for inferring the probable change in, or state of, a downstream KE from the known or measured state of an upstream KE. More help

AOPs Referencing Relationship

AOP Name Adjacency Weight of Evidence Quantitative Understanding Point of Contact Author Status OECD Status
Binding of Sars-CoV-2 spike protein to ACE 2 receptors expressed on brain cells (neuronal and non-neuronal) leads to neuroinflammation resulting in encephalitis adjacent High Low Anna Price (send email) Under development: Not open for comment. Do not cite Under Development

Taxonomic Applicability

Latin or common names of a species or broader taxonomic grouping (e.g., class, order, family) that help to define the biological applicability domain of the KER.In general, this will be dictated by the more restrictive of the two KEs being linked together by the KER.  More help
Term Scientific Term Evidence Link
human Homo sapiens High NCBI
mouse Mus musculus High NCBI

Sex Applicability

An indication of the the relevant sex for this KER. More help
Sex Evidence
Mixed High

Life Stage Applicability

An indication of the the relevant life stage(s) for this KER.  More help
Term Evidence
Adults High

Key Event Relationship Description

Provides a concise overview of the information given below as well as addressing details that aren’t inherent in the description of the KEs themselves. More help

Some cytokines released in the blood circulation can cross the BBB and activate the resident brain immune cells like microglia and astrocytes to produce neural cytokines, further worsening the condition (Tjalkens et al. 2017). Astrocytes regulate a wide variety of functions, which may aggravate neuroinflammation. Activated microglia may engulf the neighboring neurons on activation (Mariani  et al. 2009; Mahmoud et al. 2019).

Furthermore, microglia are the primary source of pro-inflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (Mariani  et al. 2009). Microglia express ACE-2, along with ACE and AT1 (Cui et al. 2019). These receptors play a significant role in microglia activation and balance the pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects (Jackson L, et al. 2018) (Murta et al., 2020). More specifically, SARS-CoV-2 infection can hamper the ACE-2-mediated signaling, creating a glitch in the AT1 receptor-mediated path, thereby inducing a pro-inflammatory response (Jackson L, et al. 2018). In vivo studies suggest induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in microglia and the mouse brain and spinal cord (Li et al. 2004). The situation becomes dreadful when the pro-inflammatory substances produced by astrocytes and microglia fenestrate the BBB (Mariani et al. 2009; Mahmoud et al. 2019).

It was found that the level of neurovirulence of the virus correlates with its differential ability to induce proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin 12 [IL-12] p40, tumor necrosis factor alpha, IL-6, IL-15, and IL-1beta) in astrocytes and microglia and in mouse brains and spinal cords. These findings suggest that coronavirus neurovirulence may depend on a novel discriminatory ability of astrocytes and microglia to induce a proinflammatory response in the CNS (Li et al. 2004).

Evidence Collection Strategy

Include a description of the approach for identification and assembly of the evidence base for the KER. For evidence identification, include, for example, a description of the sources and dates of information consulted including expert knowledge, databases searched and associated search terms/strings.  Include also a description of study screening criteria and methodology, study quality assessment considerations, the data extraction strategy and links to any repositories/databases of relevant references.Tabular summaries and links to relevant supporting documentation are encouraged, wherever possible. More help

Evidence Supporting this KER

Addresses the scientific evidence supporting KERs in an AOP setting the stage for overall assessment of the AOP. More help
Biological Plausibility
Addresses the biological rationale for a connection between KEupstream and KEdownstream.  This field can also incorporate additional mechanistic details that help inform the relationship between KEs, this is useful when it is not practical/pragmatic to represent these details as separate KEs due to the difficulty or relative infrequency with which it is likely to be measured.   More help
Uncertainties and Inconsistencies
Addresses inconsistencies or uncertainties in the relationship including the identification of experimental details that may explain apparent deviations from the expected patterns of concordance. More help

Known modulating factors

This table captures specific information on the MF, its properties, how it affects the KER and respective references.1.) What is the modulating factor? Name the factor for which solid evidence exists that it influences this KER. Examples: age, sex, genotype, diet 2.) Details of this modulating factor. Specify which features of this MF are relevant for this KER. Examples: a specific age range or a specific biological age (defined by...); a specific gene mutation or variant, a specific nutrient (deficit or surplus); a sex-specific homone; a certain threshold value (e.g. serum levels of a chemical above...) 3.) Description of how this modulating factor affects this KER. Describe the provable modification of the KER (also quantitatively, if known). Examples: increase or decrease of the magnitude of effect (by a factor of...); change of the time-course of the effect (onset delay by...); alteration of the probability of the effect; increase or decrease of the sensitivity of the downstream effect (by a factor of...) 4.) Provision of supporting scientific evidence for an effect of this MF on this KER. Give a list of references.  More help
Response-response Relationship
Provides sources of data that define the response-response relationships between the KEs.  More help
Time-scale
Information regarding the approximate time-scale of the changes in KEdownstream relative to changes in KEupstream (i.e., do effects on KEdownstream lag those on KEupstream by seconds, minutes, hours, or days?). More help
Known Feedforward/Feedback loops influencing this KER
Define whether there are known positive or negative feedback mechanisms involved and what is understood about their time-course and homeostatic limits. More help

Domain of Applicability

A free-text section of the KER description that the developers can use to explain their rationale for the taxonomic, life stage, or sex applicability structured terms. More help

References

List of the literature that was cited for this KER description. More help

Cui C, et al. Vitamin D receptor activation regulates microglia polarization and oxidative stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats and angiotensin II-exposed microglial cells: role of renin-angiotensin system. Redox Biol. 2019;26:101295.

Jackson L, et al. Within the brain: the renin angiotensin system. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19.

Li Y, et al. E. Coronavirus neurovirulence correlates with the ability of the virus to induce proinflammatory cytokine signals from astrocytes and microglia. J Virol. 2004;78:3398–3406.

Mahmoud S, et al. Astrocytes maintain glutamate homeostasis in the CNS by controlling the balance between glutamate uptake and release. Cells. 2019 Feb 20;8(2):184.

Mariani MM, Kielian T. Microglia in infectious diseases of the central nervous system. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2009;4:448– 61.

Murta et al. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Impact on the Central Nervous System: Are Astrocytes and Microglia Main Players or Merely Bystanders? ASN Neuro. 2020. PMID: 32878468

Tjalkens RB, et al. Inflammatory activation of microglia and astrocytes in manganese neurotoxicity. Adv Neurobiol. 2017;18:159–81.