Planning and using PB-PK models: an integrated inhalation and distribution model for nickel

Abstract

A general method is presented for the use of mathematical modeling in the design, execution, and interpretation of toxicology experiments. To illustrate the use of mathematical modeling toxicology, a case study is presented of how a dosimetry model for inhaled nickel was developed for use in cancer risk estimation. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PB-PK) dosimetry model is used to plan animal experiments and to extrapolate nickel kinetics from animals to humans. These data are then used to estimate human lung cancer risks from human exposure to nickel aerosols. To achieve this goal, a PB-PK dosimetry model for the lung was integrated with a PB-PK dosimetry model for the internal organs. Nickel removal from the lung was found to be saturable and to follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The PB-PK lung dosimetry model was used to design both short-term (single exposures) and long-term (multiple intermittent exposures) needed to validate the parameters ( K m and V max) of the lung dosimetry model. A constant infusion experiment was planned using the PB-PK modeling approach to measure the distribution and elimination of intravenously administered nickel. The two PB-PK models were integrated to estimate the fate of nickel after inhalation and are being used to plan experiments for other routes of exposure such as ingestion of drinking water and dermal contact. The integrated model has been used to calculate a human cancer risk estimate in combination with short-term genotoxic experiments. Using PB-PK models in toxicology, as illustrated here, conserves experimental animals, aids in understanding new physiological phenomena (such as saturable clearance from the lung), incorporates in vitro tests with in vivo experiments, and provides a means of extrapolation to human health risks from multiple routes of exposure. Introducing the concepts of mathematical modeling into toxicity experiments at the beginning of the experiment improves the usefulness of the experiments in risk estimation. PB-PK models are suggested as a new basis for experimental design in toxicology.