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Danielsson B, Vargesson N, Danielsson C. Teratogenicity and Reactive Oxygen Species after transient embryonic hypoxia: Experimental and clinical evidence with focus on drugs causing failed abortion in humans. Reprod Toxicol 2023; 122:108488. [PMID: 37852333 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2023.108488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Teratogenicity and Reactive Oxygen Species after transient embryonic hypoxia: Experimental and clinical evidence with focus on drugs with human abortive potential. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) can be harmful to embryonic tissues. The adverse embryonic effects are dependent on the severity and duration of the hypoxic event and when during organongenesis hypoxia occurs. The vascular endothelium of recently formed arteries in the embryo is highly susceptible to ROS damage. Endothelial damage results in vascular disruption, hemorrhage and maldevelopment of organs, which normally should have been supplied by the artery. ROS can also induce irregular heart rhythm in the embryo resulting in alterations in blood flow and pressure from when the tubular heart starts beating. Such alterations in blood flow and pressure during cardiogenesis can result in a variety of cardiovascular defects, for example transpositions and ventricular septal defects. One aim of this article is to review and compare the pattern of malformations produced by transient embryonic hypoxia of various origins in animal studies with malformations associated with transient embryonic hypoxia in human pregnancy due to a failed abortion process. The results show that transient hypoxia and compounds with potential to cause failed abortion in humans, such as misoprostol and hormone pregnancy tests (HPTs) like Primodos, have been associated with a similar spectrum of teratogenicity. The spectrum includes limb reduction-, cardiovascular- and central nervous system defects. The hypoxia-ROS related teratogenicity of misoprostol and HPTs, is likely to be secondary to uterine contractions and compression of uterinoplacental/embryonic vessels during organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bengt Danielsson
- BeDa Consulting AB, Upplandsgatan 6, SE-111 23 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Neil Vargesson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Christian Danielsson
- Department of Patient Safety, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, SE-106 30 Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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Ritchie HE, Abela D, Ababneh D, Howe AM, Farrell E, Hegedus E. The effect of phenytoin on embryonic heart rate in Vivo. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 106:109-114. [PMID: 34653594 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Phenytoin is a known human teratogen with unknown etiology. Several mechanisms have been proposed including disturbances in folate metabolism, induction of embryonic hypoxia following phenytoin-induced bradycardia, free radical formation following re-oxygenation and phenytoin-induced maternal hyperglycemia. Using high frequency ultrasound, we demonstrated that phenytoin induced a dramatic decrease in the heart rate of embryos. This coincided with a moderate transient decrease in maternal heart rate and blood glucose levels. Embryonic heart rate had not fully recovered 24 h later in some embryos despite normal maternal physiological parameters. In a separate study, extent of hypoxia was measured using the marker pimonidazole. Phenytoin-exposed embryos did not demonstrate increased hypoxia compared to control embryos at 2, 4, 8 or 24 h dosing. Together our results show that phenytoin induces malformations as a result of a combination of insults: embryonic bradycardia, maternal bradycardia and maternal hyperglycemia. However, this does not appear to result in measurable embryonic hypoxia in our animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E Ritchie
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| | - Dominqiue Abela
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Deena Ababneh
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Andrew M Howe
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Emma Farrell
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hegedus
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
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3
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Chapman G, Moreau JLM, I P E, Szot JO, Iyer KR, Shi H, Yam MX, O'Reilly VC, Enriquez A, Greasby JA, Alankarage D, Martin EMMA, Hanna BC, Edwards M, Monger S, Blue GM, Winlaw DS, Ritchie HE, Grieve SM, Giannoulatou E, Sparrow DB, Dunwoodie SL. Functional genomics and gene-environment interaction highlight the complexity of congenital heart disease caused by Notch pathway variants. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:566-579. [PMID: 31813956 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and brings with it significant mortality and morbidity. The application of exome and genome sequencing has greatly improved the rate of genetic diagnosis for CHD but the cause in the majority of cases remains uncertain. It is clear that genetics, as well as environmental influences, play roles in the aetiology of CHD. Here we address both these aspects of causation with respect to the Notch signalling pathway. In our CHD cohort, variants in core Notch pathway genes account for 20% of those that cause disease, a rate that did not increase with the inclusion of genes of the broader Notch pathway and its regulators. This is reinforced by case-control burden analysis where variants in Notch pathway genes are enriched in CHD patients. This enrichment is due to variation in NOTCH1. Functional analysis of some novel missense NOTCH1 and DLL4 variants in cultured cells demonstrate reduced signalling activity, allowing variant reclassification. Although loss-of-function variants in DLL4 are known to cause Adams-Oliver syndrome, this is the first report of a hypomorphic DLL4 allele as a cause of isolated CHD. Finally, we demonstrate a gene-environment interaction in mouse embryos between Notch1 heterozygosity and low oxygen- or anti-arrhythmic drug-induced gestational hypoxia, resulting in an increased incidence of heart defects. This implies that exposure to environmental insults such as hypoxia could explain variable expressivity and penetrance of observed CHD in families carrying Notch pathway variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin Chapman
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Julie L M Moreau
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Eddie I P
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Justin O Szot
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Kavitha R Iyer
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Hongjun Shi
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.,Institute for Basic Medical Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Michelle X Yam
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | | | - Annabelle Enriquez
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.,Department of Clinical Genetics, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia.,Discipline of Genomic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Joelene A Greasby
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | | | - Ella M M A Martin
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | | | - Matthew Edwards
- Hunter Genetics, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, 2298, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, 2560, Australia
| | - Steven Monger
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Gillian M Blue
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.,Kids Heart Research, Heart Centre for Children, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - David S Winlaw
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.,Kids Heart Research, Heart Centre for Children, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Helen E Ritchie
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Stuart M Grieve
- Sydney Translational Imaging Laboratory, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.,Department of Radiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Eleni Giannoulatou
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Duncan B Sparrow
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Sally L Dunwoodie
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.,Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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4
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The effect of anti-emetic drugs on rat embryonic heart activity. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 87:140-145. [PMID: 31199962 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) is the most common medical complaint during pregnancy affecting up to 70% of pregnant women worldwide. Some antiemetic medications (AEM) (droperidol, domperidone, granisetron, metoclopramide and trifluoperazine) used to treat NVP have the unwanted side effect of hERG blockade. The hERG potassium channel is essential for normal heart rhythm in both the adult human and the human and rat embryo. Animal studies show hERG blockade in the embryo causes bradycardia and arrhythmia leading to cardiovascular malformations and other birth defects. Whole rat embryo in vitro culture was used to determine the effect of the above listed AEM and meclizine on the heart rate of Gestational day 13 rat embryos. These embryos are similar in size and heart development to 5-6-week human embryo. The results showed that all of the AEMs caused a concentration-dependent bradycardia. Droperidol had the lowest margin of safety.
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5
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Ritchie HE, Telenius C, Gustaffson E, Webster WS. The effects of nifedipine and ivabradine on the functionality of the early rat embryonic heart. Are these drugs a risk in early human pregnancy? Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:281-288. [PMID: 30653849 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND When the human heart begins its earliest contractions from day 21, it lacks a functional autonomic nerve supply. Instead, contractions are generated by regular calcium transients later augmented by the funny current (If ) produced by sinoatrial-like cells. This study examined effects of blocking these currents in the early rat embryonic heart. METHODS Rat embryos were incubated in vitro with either the calcium channel blocker nifedipine and/or the funny current (If ) blocker ivabradine for 1 hr to examine the effects of these drugs on the activity of the embryonic heart. RESULTS On gestational day (GD) 10, nifedipine (0.45-1.8 μM) caused asystole at high concentrations (8/10 embryos at 1.8 μM and 3/10 embryos at 0.9 μM) and markedly increased embryonic heart rate (EHR) in all surviving embryos but likely reduced blood flow due to weak contractions. Ivabradine (1.5 μM) caused a 29% reduction in EHR in GD 10 embryos and a greater than 50% reduction in EHR for GD 11-14 embryos. Combined exposure to both nifedipine and ivabradine resulted in an additive effect. The increased EHR due to nifedipine was reduced by the ivabradine. CONCLUSION The results suggest that exposure to nifedipine in human pregnancy 3-4 weeks postfertilization may cause a direct effect on the embryonic heart resulting in reduced blood flow leading to abnormal heart and/or blood vessel development and/or embryonic death. Accidental exposure to ivabradine in the organogenic period would be expected to cause embryonic bradycardia, hypoxia, malformations, and embryonic death. This drug is currently contraindicated in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E Ritchie
- Discipline of Biomedical Sciences, Sydney School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Carolina Telenius
- Discipline of Anatomy and Histology, Sydney School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Elin Gustaffson
- Discipline of Anatomy and Histology, Sydney School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - William S Webster
- Discipline of Anatomy and Histology, Sydney School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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6
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Ritchie HE, Oakes DJ, Kennedy D, Polson JW. Early Gestational Hypoxia and Adverse Developmental Outcomes. Birth Defects Res 2018; 109:1358-1376. [PMID: 29105381 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia is a normal and essential part of embryonic development. However, this state may leave the embryo vulnerable to damage when oxygen supply is disturbed. Embryofetal response to hypoxia is dependent on duration and depth of hypoxia, as well as developmental stage. Early postimplantation rat embryos were resilient to hypoxia, with many surviving up to 1.5 hr of uterine clamping, while most mid-gestation embryos were dead after 1 hour of clamping. Survivors were small and many had a range of defects, principally terminal transverse limb reduction defects. Similar patterns of malformations occurred when embryonic hypoxia was induced by maternal hypoxia, interruption of uteroplacental flow, or perfusion and embryonic bradycardia. There is good evidence that high altitude pregnancies are associated with smaller babies and increased risk of some malformations, but these results are complicated by increased risk of pre-eclampsia. Early onset pre-eclampsia itself is associated with small for dates and increased risk of atrio-ventricular septal defects. Limb defects have clearly been associated with chorionic villus sampling, cocaine, and misoprostol use. Similar defects are also observed with increased frequency among fetuses who are homozygous for thalassemia. Drugs that block the potassium current, whether as the prime site of action or as a side effect, are highly teratogenic in experimental animals. They induce embryonic bradycardia, hypoxia, hemorrhage, and blisters, leading to transverse limb defects as well as craniofacial and cardiovascular defects. While evidence linking these drugs to birth defects in humans is not compelling, the reason may methodological rather than biological. Birth Defects Research 109:1358-1376, 2017.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E Ritchie
- Discipline of Biomedical Science, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
| | - Diana J Oakes
- Discipline of Biomedical Science, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
| | | | - Jaimie W Polson
- Discipline of Biomedical Science, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
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7
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Prestipino L, Polson JW, Brolin E, Ritchie HE. Long-term programming effects on blood pressure following gestational exposure to the I Kr blocker Dofetilide. Physiol Rep 2018; 6:e13621. [PMID: 29504284 PMCID: PMC5835481 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A slow embryonic heart rate in early-mid gestation is associated with increased risk of embryonic death and malformation, however, the long-term consequences remain unknown. We administered Dofetilide (Dof, 2.5 mg/kg), a drug that produces embryo-specific bradycardia, to pregnant rats from gestational days 11-14. Embryonic heart rate and rhythm were determined using embryo culture. Cardiovascular function was assessed in surviving adult offspring at rest, during acute psychological stress (air jet stress, AJS), and after 7 days of repeated AJS. Dof reduced embryonic HR by 40% for ~8 h on each of the treatment days. On postnatal day 3, Dof offspring were ~10% smaller. Blood pressure was elevated in adult Dof rats (systolic blood pressure, night: 103.8 ± 3.9 vs. 111.2 ± 3.0 mmHg, P = 0.01). While the pressor response to AJS was similar in both groups (control 17.7 ± 3.4; Dof 18.9 ± 0.9 mmHg, P = 0.74), after 7 days repeated AJS, clear habituation was present in control (P = 0.0001) but not Dof offspring (P = 0.48). Only Dof offspring showed a small increase in resting blood pressure after 7 days repeated stress (+3.9 ± 1.7 mmHg, P = 0.05). The results indicate that embryonic bradycardia programs hypertension and impaired stress adaptation, and have implications for the maternal use of cardioactive drugs during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Prestipino
- School of Medical Sciences and Bosch InstituteSydney Medical SchoolThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Jaimie W. Polson
- School of Medical Sciences and Bosch InstituteSydney Medical SchoolThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Elisabeth Brolin
- School of Medical Sciences and Bosch InstituteSydney Medical SchoolThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Helen E. Ritchie
- School of Medical Sciences and Bosch InstituteSydney Medical SchoolThe University of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
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Ritchie HE, Moore NP, Webster WS. Editor’s Highlight: Ethylene Glycol Teratogenicity: A Role for Embryonic Acidosis? Toxicol Sci 2017; 161:421-430. [DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
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Zhou L, Lv M, Zeng M, Zhou Y, Yang T, Yang Y, Cao Y, Kong X, Niu J. Metacarpal Bone Plane Examination by Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Fetal Forearm and Hand Deformity. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42161. [PMID: 28169352 PMCID: PMC5294396 DOI: 10.1038/srep42161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We explored the value of the metacarpal bone plane in screening for serious fetal forearm and hand deformities, excluding simple polydactyly and dactylion deformity, by ultrasonographic examination. Observed the second to fifth metacarpal bone plane of fetuses in 20,139 pregnant women at a gestational age of 16 to 30 weeks in The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute (IPMCH). There was a total 138 cases of fetal forearm and/or hand deformity among the 20,139 pregnant women. Of these, 134 cases were diagnosed, 4 cases were not diagnosed, and 1 case was misdiagnosed. Among the 134 diagnosed cases, there were 19 cases of hand absence, 5 cases of cleft hand, 13 cases of ectrodactyly, 26 cases of radius absence, 9 cases of forearm and hand dysplasia, 55 cases of thanatophoric dysplasia, 6 cases of wrist joint dysplasia, and 1 case of forearm amputation deformity. The deformity rate was 0.76%, the diagnostic coincidence rate was 99.97%, the sensitivity was 97.10%, the specificity was 99.99%, and the false negative rate was 2.9%. As such, careful observation of the metacarpal bone plane can be used increase the diagnosis rate of fetal forearm and hand deformity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leiping Zhou
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingli Lv
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Zeng
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian Yang
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Yunyun Cao
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Kong
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianmei Niu
- Ultrasound Department, The International Peace Maternity &Child Health Hospital of China Welfare Institute, 200030, Shanghai, China
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10
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Sela H, Cohen H, Elia P, Zach R, Karpas Z, Zeiri Y. Spontaneous penetration of gold nanoparticles through the blood brain barrier (BBB). J Nanobiotechnology 2015; 13:71. [PMID: 26489846 PMCID: PMC4618365 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-015-0133-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The blood brain barrier (BBB) controls the brain microenvironment and limits penetration of the central nervous system (CNS) by chemicals, thus creating an obstacle to many medical imaging and treatment procedures. Research efforts to identify viable routes of BBB penetration have focused on structures such as micelles, polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes as drug carriers, however, many of them failed to provide unequivocal proof of BBB penetration. Here we proved that gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) penetrate the BBB in rats to reach brain regions. Results Injection of AuNPs to the abdominal cavity of rats resulted in levels of gold found in blood, urine, brain regions and body organs. After perfusion the concentration of gold in brain regions diminished dramatically indicating that most of the gold was in venous blood and not in the brain tissues. Injection of Na, K or Ca ion channel blockers reduced BBB penetration by half. A biological half-life of 12.9 ± 4.9 h was found for the gold nanoparticles. Possible mechanisms for the transport of AuNPs through the BBB are discussed. Conclusions BBB penetration by AuNPs is spontaneous without the application of an external field. A major amount of gold resides in blood vessels therefore perfusion required. Ion channel blockers can be used to control the transport of AuNPs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12951-015-0133-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagit Sela
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel. .,Department of Chemistry, NRCN, P.O. Box 9001, Beer-Sheva, 8419001, Israel.
| | - Hagit Cohen
- The State of Israel Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| | - Paz Elia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel.
| | - Raya Zach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel.
| | - Zeev Karpas
- Department of Chemistry, NRCN, P.O. Box 9001, Beer-Sheva, 8419001, Israel.
| | - Yehuda Zeiri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel. .,Department of Chemistry, NRCN, P.O. Box 9001, Beer-Sheva, 8419001, Israel.
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Ritchie H, Oakes D, Hung TT, Hegedus E, Sood S, Webster W. The Effect of Dofetilide on the Heart Rate of GD11 and GD13 Rat Embryos, in vivo, Using Ultrasound. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 104:196-203. [DOI: 10.1002/bdrb.21162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Helen Ritchie
- Discipline of Biomedical Science; University of Sydney; New South Wales Australia
| | - Diana Oakes
- Discipline of Biomedical Science; University of Sydney; New South Wales Australia
| | - Tzong-tyng Hung
- Biological Resources Imaging Laboratory; University of New South Wales; New South Wales Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hegedus
- Discipline of Biomedical Science; University of Sydney; New South Wales Australia
| | - Shreya Sood
- Discipline of Biomedical Science; University of Sydney; New South Wales Australia
| | - William Webster
- Department of Anatomy and Histology; The University of Sydney; New South Wales Australia
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12
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Ritchie HE, Hung TT, Hegedus E. The effect of dofetilide on embryonic heart rate of rat embryos during early development using high-resolution ultrasound. Reprod Toxicol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2015.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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13
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Ritchie HE, Svensson CH, Nilsson MF, Webster WS. A comparison of drug-induced cardiotoxicity in rat embryos cultured in human serum or protein free media. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2014; 70:276-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2014.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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