Experimental production of congenital cardiovascular malformations in rats by salicylate poisoning

Benzofuranyl ureas with potent cardiovascular teratogenicity in rats

Studies of embryo-fetal development in rats were conducted with two 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors. SB-202235 (1,000 mg/kg/day) or SB-210661 (50, 100, or 500 mg/kg/day) was administered orally by gavage to female rats on days 6-17 postcoitus (pc) or days 7-16 pc. SB-202235 (1,000 mg/kg/day) and SB-210661 (100 mg/kg/day) reduced maternal body weight gain for the treatment period by 16% and 21%, respectively, relative to controls. SB-202235 (1,000 mg/kg/day) or SB-210661 (50 or 100 mg/kg/day), did not affect numbers of resorptions, dead or live fetuses/litter, but 500 mg/kg/day of SB-210661 caused 100% embryo lethality. SB-202235 (1,000 mg/kg/day) and SB-210661 (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) reduced fetal body weight by 15-30% and produced extensive cardiovascular malformations, as well as diaphragmatic hernias. SB-210661 also caused thymic abnormalities and cryptorchidism. Cardiovascular defects included abnormalities in aorticopulmonary septation, the aortic arch, pulmonary trunk, and ventricular septal defects are discussed relative to comparable human syndromes of cardiovascular malformation.

Response of layer breeders to dietary acetylsalicylic acid. 3. Effects on fertility and hatchability of embryos exposed to control and elevated incubation temperatures

Because acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, aspirin) is a common antipyretic drug, there has been considerable research on the effects of ASA on mammalian embryonic development. However, very limited research has been conducted on the effects of ASA on avian development and hatchability. The present study investigated the effect of dietary ASA on fertility and hatchability and whether embryos of breeder hens fed ASA, as compared with embryos of hens fed a control diet, would survive elevated temperatures during incubation. White Leghorn layer breeders were fed 0, .025, .050, .100, .200, and .400% ASA for the first 13 mo of egg production. When averaged over 13 mo, hens fed .40% dietary ASA demonstrated a decline in fertility (P < .03), hatchability of fertile eggs (P < .04), and hatchability of eggs set (P < .02). Chicks from hens fed .10% ASA weighed more than chicks from hens receiving 0, .025, .20, or .40% ASA (P < .01). When embryos were incubated at elevated temperatures of 42.8 or 43.3 C for 5.5 to 12 h on Day 16 of incubation, hatchability declined. Also, ASA fed to layer breeders did not improve hatchability of embryos exposed to elevated incubation temperatures when compared with embryos exposed to a control incubation temperature (37.2 C). During Month 9 of production, chicks from hens fed .05 and .10% ASA and exposed to an elevated temperature of 42.8 C for 9 h on Day 16 of incubation weighed more than similarly heat-stressed chicks of hens fed 0, .20, or .40% ASA (temperature by diet interaction, P < .03).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of prenatal propranolol exposure on development of the postnatal rat heart

Maternal propranolol (PRO) treatment has previously been associated with adverse effects on the fetus and neonate. In the present study, pregnant rats were treated with PRO (25 or 50 mg/kg/day s.c.) on gestation days 8-20 to assess its possible effects on the developing heart. Maternal weight gain and pup weight on postnatal day (PND) 1 were reduced in a dose-dependent manner; litter size was unaffected. Pup body weight and heart weight both showed a dose-related decrease at all ages tested (PNDs 5/6, 8/9, 15/16, and 22/23). Since heart protein, but not DNA, was similarly reduced, the decrease seen in heart weight most likely reflects a decrease in cell size instead of cell number. Basal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), an enzyme associated with growth and development, was unaffected by maternal PRO treatment. Insulin and isoproterenol stimulation of ODC, suggested markers for testing the function of the sympathetic pathway to the heart and of the heart's ODC response system, respectively, also showed no PRO-related response. In conclusion, prenatal PRO exposure resulted in reduced body weight, heart weight, and heart protein, but had little effect on heart DNA or ODC activity. Since PRO treatment also reduced maternal weight gain, the adverse effects seen in the pups may be due to generalized PRO toxicity. The results suggest that when high PRO doses were used clinically, the careful monitoring of maternal weight gain during pregnancy might be useful in predicting adverse fetal effects.

Prostaglandin synthesis in rat embryo tissue: the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in vivo and ex vivo

Aspirin and salicylate are well-known but poorly understood teratogens in laboratory animals. Because aspirin inhibits PG synthesis, we systematically examined PG synthesis in rat embryo homogenates, the inhibition of PG synthesis in vivo and ex vivo by various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and tested the hypothesis that the inhibition of PG synthesis is responsible for aspirin-induced limb defects in rats. We report that embryonic rat homogenates synthesize 6-keto-PGF1alpha, PGE, and PGF in large amounts from endogenous substrate, that aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit PG synthesis in vitro but not necessarily in vivo, and that contrary to our original hypothesis, the inhibition of PG synthesis is likely not responsible for aspirin-induced limb defects in rats.

Possible teratogenicity of sulphasalazine

Three infants, born of two mothers with inflammatory bowel disease who received treatment with sulphasalazine throughout pregnancy, were found to have major congenital anomalies. In the singleton pregnancy, the mother had ulcerative colitis, and the infant, a male, had coarctation of the aorta and a ventricular septal defect. In the twin pregnancy, the mother had Crohn's disease. The first twin, a female, had a left Potter-type IIa polycystic kidney and a rudimentary left uterine cornu. The second twin, a male, had some features of Potter's facies, hypoplastic lungs, absent kidneys and ureters, and talipes equinovarus. Despite reports to the contrary, it is suggested that sulphasalazine may be teratogenic.

Measurement of prostaglandins in embryonic tissue using radioimmunoassay

Although prostaglandins appear to play an important role in numerous physiological processes in the adult, neonate, and fetus, very little is known about the role of these compounds in the embryo. This study demonstrates that rat embryo homogenates synthesized 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha, PGE and PGF in markedly different amounts from endogenous substrate. Synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin (10 microM) in varying degrees (70-89%) depending on the prostaglandin. The metabolite of PGF2 alpha, 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto PGF2 alpha (PGF2 alpha-M), was produced in limited amounts in the absence of exogenous NAD. In the presence of exogenous NAD and PGF however, embryonic homogenates produced PGF2 alpha-M. The potential role of prostaglandins during embryogenesis is discussed.

Aspirin-induced teratogenesis: a unique pattern of cell death and subsequent polydactyly in the rat

Offspring of pregnant rats treated with a high dose of aspirin on day 11 of gestation frequently had predominantly right-sided polydactyly of the hindlimbs at term. Aspirin-treated embryos removed on day 12 exhibited a unique pattern of preaxial mesodermal cell death in the hindlimb buds. In addition, these embryos had a delay of the normal episode of cells death in the preaxial apical ectodermal ridge and an absence of cell death in a zone of physiological necrosis in the preaxial mesoderm thought to be instrumental in controlling preaxial digit formation. The role of cell death in the pathogenesis of polydactyly is discussed.

Syndromes of cardiovascular malformations induced by copper citrate in hamsters

Pregnant golden hamsters were injected intraperitoneally on the morning of the eighth day of gestation with a solution of copper citrate (2.7 mg/kg) or deionized water. Embryos were removed from the mothers by laparotomy on the 12th and 13th days of gestation, serially sectioned through the thorax, and examined for cardiac malformations. Twenty-one of the 37 edematous embryos from copper-treated mothers were affected with a total of 58 major cardiac anomalies. Sixteen of these embryos were affected with double outlet right ventricle in association with a membranous ventricular septal defect, two embryos contained hearts with overriding aortas, and three embryos were affected with isolated ventricular septal defects. Eleven of the 16 embryos with double outlet right ventricle were also affected with pulmonary trunk hypoplasia. The concept that these cardiac anomalies arise from a common pathogenetic basis is supported by the present model.

Effects of aspirin and acetaminophen on fetal and placental growth in rats

Aqueous suspensions of aspirin or acetaminophen (125 and 250 mg/kg/day) were administered orally to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats on Days 8-19 of gestation Day 20, each rat was sacrificed and the uterus was examined in situ. Each fetal-placental unit was resected and examined. Fetuses from rats given 125 or 250 mg/kg/day of aspirin were shorter and weighed less than those obtained from control rats. In animals receiving the higher dose of aspirin, the placentas were smaller and the number of fetal resorptions was increased. Acetaminophen (250 mg/kg/day) did not affect fetal length or weight or the incidence of resorption. Acetaminophen interfered less with the normal growth of the rat fetus and placenta than did aspirin.