Effect of azaserine and other growth-inhibiting agents on fetal development of the rat

Targeted disruption of the murine VCAM1 gene: essential role of VCAM-1 in chorioallantoic fusion and placentation

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is expressed on vascular endothelium in a variety of inflammatory conditions and mediates leukocyte recruitment from blood into tissues. In this study we report a novel role for VCAM-1 in the formation of the umbilical cord and placenta during development. The murine VCAM1 gene was disrupted by targeted homologous recombination, and a distinct phenotype was found in VCAM-1-deficient embryos. At 8.5 days of gestation, the allantois failed to fuse to the chorion, resulting in abnormal placental development and embryonic death within 1-3 days. In addition, a role for VCAM-1 in early placental formation after chorioallantoic fusion was observed. In a minority of VCAM-1-deficient embryos, the allantois was able to fuse with the chorion, but the allantoic mesoderm was abnormally distributed over the chorionic surface. A small number of VCAM-1-deficient embryos survived, presumably by circumventing the placentation defects. They became viable and fertile adult mice with lack of VCAM-1 expression, normal organs, and an elevated number of circulating blood mononuclear leukocytes.

Abnormal synthesis of cartilage-characteristic proteoglycan in azaserine-induced micromelial limbs

Administration of azaserine (250 micrograms) to day-4 chick embryos in ovo was shown to induce micromelial limbs. In the present study, biosynthesis of cartilage-characteristic proteoglycan H (PG-H) as an index of limb chondrogenesis was examined in normal and micromelial hind limbs from day-7 chick embryos by biochemical and immunological methods. (1) Metabolic labelling of the micromelial limbs with [6-3H]-glucose and [35S]sulphate, followed by analysis of labelled proteoglycans by glycerol-density-gradient centrifugation under dissociative conditions, showed a marked reduction in PG-H synthesis. (2) PG-H synthesized by micromelial limbs differed from that synthesized by normal limbs in possessing a slower sedimenting velocity and much lower amounts of chondroitin sulphates. (3) The amount of PG-H core protein in micromelial limbs was significantly decreased to about 19% on a per limb basis and about 42% on a per DNA basis of that in normal limbs, as determined by e.l.i.s.a. (4) The transition from PG-M to PG-H during limb formation was retarded in micromelial limbs as judged by an indirect immunofluorescence technique using antibodies against PG-M and PG-H. (5) The deficiency of incorporation of labelled glucose into chondroitin sulphate chains of PG-H in micromelial limbs was partially restored by using [6-3H]-glucosamine as a precursor, suggesting that the synthesis of UDP-N-acetylhexosamine, required for chondroitin sulphate chain synthesis of PG-H in micromelial limbs, was decreased. These results suggest that the reduction in the synthesis of PG-H as well as the production of an abnormal form of PG-H during a critical period of limb morphogenesis may be important factors in explaining the micromelia induced by azaserine.

Altered dental root development in long-term survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A review of 17 cases

Seventeen patients treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia by combination chemotherapy before their reaching 10 years of age were studied for altered dental root development of their premolar teeth. Five of the 17 patients showed subjective radiographic evidence of marked shortening of the premolar dental roots; 13 had thinning of the roots. A quantitative analysis was developed and verified, which disclosed a 63.33% to 84.38% reduction of premolar root length when compared with the mean of the historical controls. With recent significant increases in long-term survival rates of children with malignancies, altered dental development becomes an important factor to follow years after chemotherapy is discontinued. The findings of these chemotherapy-associated dental development changes impacts on the patient's quality of life and also can serve as a research tool to assess permanent effects of chemotherapy on normal tissue growth and development.

A foreign dihydrofolate reductase gene in transgenic mice acts as a dominant mutation

We have produced 17 lines of transgenic mice by microinjecting a full-length cDNA clone of an altered dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene. The protein specified by this gene carries a point mutation which triples its Km for dihydrofolate and reduces substrate turnover 20-fold relative to the wild-type enzyme. Transgenic mice from different pedigrees, several of which carry a single copy of this gene in different integration sites, manifest an array of similar developmental abnormalities including growth stunting, reduced fertility, pigmentation changes, and skeletal defects. These defects appear in animals heterozygous for the foreign gene. RNA analyses demonstrate significant expression of the cDNA in newborn mice and adult tissues. These findings show that the additional dhfr gene exerts its mutational effects in a dominant fashion, and therefore the data indicate that transgenic mice can serve as models for elucidating mechanisms of dominant mutagenesis.

A foreign dihydrofolate reductase gene in transgenic mice acts as a dominant mutation

We have produced 17 lines of transgenic mice by microinjecting a full-length cDNA clone of an altered dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene. The protein specified by this gene carries a point mutation which triples its Km for dihydrofolate and reduces substrate turnover 20-fold relative to the wild-type enzyme. Transgenic mice from different pedigrees, several of which carry a single copy of this gene in different integration sites, manifest an array of similar developmental abnormalities including growth stunting, reduced fertility, pigmentation changes, and skeletal defects. These defects appear in animals heterozygous for the foreign gene. RNA analyses demonstrate significant expression of the cDNA in newborn mice and adult tissues. These findings show that the additional dhfr gene exerts its mutational effects in a dominant fashion, and therefore the data indicate that transgenic mice can serve as models for elucidating mechanisms of dominant mutagenesis.

Maternal toxicity: a possible etiological factor in embryo-fetal deaths and fetal malformations of rodent-rabbit species

Data from animal teratology studies were surveyed to determine whether embryo-fetal mortality and fetal malformations result from a primary action of the agent on the conceptus or if they are secondary to maternal toxicity--a consequence of administration with high dose levels of test chemicals. A fairly strong association between embryo-fetal mortality and maternal toxicity was revealed by analysis of data from hamsters, mice, rats, and rabbits in 234 studies of chemical and physical agents, of which 83 were conducted at both maternotoxic and nonmaternotoxic doses, 94 only at maternotoxic doses, and 49 at nonmaternotoxic doses. In the above studies, only nine chemicals (four each in hamsters and rabbits and one in rats) were reported to induce embryo-fetal deaths at apparently nonmaternotoxic doses. These findings tend to suggest a contributory role for maternal toxicity in the induction of embryo-fetal deaths. The previously reported hypothesis that certain fetal defects in mice may perhaps be caused by maternal toxicity was also found to be true in a review of data on hamsters, rats, and rabbits. Salient maternal toxicity-associated fetal malformations were exencephaly, encephalocele, micro- or anophalmia, and fused ribs in hamsters and defective (fused, missing, or extra) ribs, vertebrae, and sternebrae, ex-, an-, or microphthalmia, and cleft palate in rats and rabbits. These malformations occurred at low frequencies, generally with no readily apparent dose-response relationship. Presumptive evidence indicates that embryo-fetal deaths, and the above-mentioned fetal malformations in experimental animals, which in published literature are presently attributed to chemical induction for a large number of chemicals, may be a consequence of maternal toxicity per se.

Embryolethality in rats caused by retinoic acid

Retinoic acid (25 mg/kg) administered by gavage to rats at 216 hours of gestation killed almost all conceptuses by 288 hours and all by full term. The embryolethal dose50 was 12.3 mg/kg. Embryos died from damage to the allantois leading to agenesis or hypogenesis of the chorioallantoic placenta. Suppression of cell division in, disturbed fluid entry into, and impaired normal vascularization of the allantois underlay the abnormality, the predominant element depending principally on when exposure occurred. Hydremia (Br. J. Exp. Pathol., 57:525-541, '76) affected over 50% of the sacs. Relating data from the literature to resorption patterns suggested that 25 mg/kg of retinoic acid raised a lethotoxic level (approximately 2 micrograms/ml) of retinoate in the plasma for about 5 hours. This, together with asynchronous development, was used to help explain why groups of embryos responded to the teratogen for 18 hours longer than single embryos and why exposure 18 hours before the allantois on average appears, killed some young. Comparison showed that retinoic acid was 4.8 times as embryolethal as retinol. Otherwise, each behaved qualitatively similarly, suggesting that either retinol acts through retinoic acid or via a common path entered independently by each. Placental agenesis is well documented in Soviet literature. It is almost unknown in Western teratology even though it is probably the most important cause of embryonal death following teratogenic procedures around the time of placentation.

Pregnancy outcome following cancer chemotherapy

The outcome of pregnancies of patients who received aggressive chemotherapy was examined. Of 448 patients screened, 30 had 12 abortions (10 elective and two spontaneous) and 28 live births. Follow-up of off spring revealed no major malformations. In addition, growth, development and school performance were normal. These results support the contention that chemotherapy administered to women prior to gestation or after the first trimester may result in normal births in the majority of cases. Moreover, the available data suggest that chemotherapy given to men at or prior to the time of conception does not appear to result in fetal damage. These results may be of value in counseling cancer patients regarding risks to their offspring.