Dissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and Mechanisms

The relationship between the dose of an effector and the biological response frequently is not described by a linear function and, moreover, in some cases the dose-response relationship may change from positive/adverse to adverse/positive with increasing dose. This complicated relationship is called...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Volodymyr I. Lushchak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2014-07-01
Series:Dose-Response
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2203/dose-response.13-051.Lushchak
_version_ 1818056792793415680
author Volodymyr I. Lushchak
author_facet Volodymyr I. Lushchak
author_sort Volodymyr I. Lushchak
collection DOAJ
description The relationship between the dose of an effector and the biological response frequently is not described by a linear function and, moreover, in some cases the dose-response relationship may change from positive/adverse to adverse/positive with increasing dose. This complicated relationship is called “hormesis”. This paper provides a short analysis of the concept along with a description of used approaches to characterize hormetic relationships. The whole hormetic curve can be divided into three zones: I — a lag-zone where no changes are observed with increasing dose; II — a zone where beneficial/adverse effects are observed, and III — a zone where the effects are opposite to those seen in zone II. Some approaches are proposed to analyze the molecular components involved in the development of the hormetic character of dose-response relationships with the use of specific genetic lines or inhibitors of regulatory pathways. The discussion is then extended to suggest a new parameter (half-width of the hormetic curve at zone II) for quantitative characterization of the hormetic curve. The problems limiting progress in the development of the hormesis concept such as low reproducibility and predictability may be solved, at least partly, by deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the hormetic dose-effect relationship.
first_indexed 2024-12-10T12:34:29Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b47309f293354f9186c5cc15ff95570f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1559-3258
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-10T12:34:29Z
publishDate 2014-07-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series Dose-Response
spelling doaj.art-b47309f293354f9186c5cc15ff95570f2022-12-22T01:48:43ZengSAGE PublishingDose-Response1559-32582014-07-011210.2203/dose-response.13-051.LushchakDissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and MechanismsVolodymyr I. LushchakThe relationship between the dose of an effector and the biological response frequently is not described by a linear function and, moreover, in some cases the dose-response relationship may change from positive/adverse to adverse/positive with increasing dose. This complicated relationship is called “hormesis”. This paper provides a short analysis of the concept along with a description of used approaches to characterize hormetic relationships. The whole hormetic curve can be divided into three zones: I — a lag-zone where no changes are observed with increasing dose; II — a zone where beneficial/adverse effects are observed, and III — a zone where the effects are opposite to those seen in zone II. Some approaches are proposed to analyze the molecular components involved in the development of the hormetic character of dose-response relationships with the use of specific genetic lines or inhibitors of regulatory pathways. The discussion is then extended to suggest a new parameter (half-width of the hormetic curve at zone II) for quantitative characterization of the hormetic curve. The problems limiting progress in the development of the hormesis concept such as low reproducibility and predictability may be solved, at least partly, by deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the hormetic dose-effect relationship.https://doi.org/10.2203/dose-response.13-051.Lushchak
spellingShingle Volodymyr I. Lushchak
Dissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and Mechanisms
Dose-Response
title Dissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and Mechanisms
title_full Dissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and Mechanisms
title_fullStr Dissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and Mechanisms
title_full_unstemmed Dissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and Mechanisms
title_short Dissection of the Hormetic Curve: Analysis of Components and Mechanisms
title_sort dissection of the hormetic curve analysis of components and mechanisms
url https://doi.org/10.2203/dose-response.13-051.Lushchak
work_keys_str_mv AT volodymyrilushchak dissectionofthehormeticcurveanalysisofcomponentsandmechanisms