Relationship:456

From AOP-Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search


Key Event Relationship Overview

Please follow link to widget page to edit this section.

If you manually enter text in this section, it will get automatically altered or deleted in subsequent edits using the widgets.

Description of Relationship

Upstream Event Downstream Event/Outcome
Acetylcholine in synapses, Accumulation Ataxia, paralysis, or hyperactivity, Induction

AOPs Referencing Relationship

AOP Name Type of Relationship Weight of Evidence Quantitative Understanding
Acetylcholinesterase inhibition leading to acute mortality Directly Leads to Strong Weak

Taxonomic Applicability

Name Scientific Name Evidence Links

How Does This Key Event Relationship Work

  • Within neuromuscular junctions of skeletal muscles, acetycholine binds and activates nicotinic (N2 or Nm) receptors. Upon binding, acetylcholine elicits a conformational shift that opens an ion channel, allowing for influx of cations that depolarize the motor end plate eliciting muscle contraction. Excess acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction can cause uncontrolled rapid twitching of muscles, convulsions, and/or paralysis depending on severity.

Weight of Evidence

Biological Plausibility

  • Given the well established role of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions in mediating changes in membrane potential leading to muscle contraction, it is highly plausible that excess acetylcholine accumulation at these neuromuscular junctions can lead to hyperexcitation of skeletal muscles.

Empirical Support for Linkage

  • The role of acetylcholine in triggering muscle contraction at the neuromuscular junctions is physiological dogma and is well supported by a large body of experimental evidence.
  • Direct administration of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists can elicit sustained muscle contraction.
  • Potent toxins like alpha-bungarotoxin, alpha-cobrotoxin, erabutoxin b and others are known to cause weakness and paralysis through their actions on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Uncertainties or Inconsistencies

Quantitative Understanding of the Linkage

A systematic review of the quantitative understanding of this KER has not been performed (to date).

Evidence Supporting Taxonomic Applicability

References

  • Klassen CD (editor). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology, the Basic Science of Poisons, Fifth Edition, McGraw Hill, New York, NY, USA.