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Baptista FI, Ambrósio AF. Tracing the influence of prenatal risk factors on the offspring retina: Focus on development and putative long-term consequences. Eur J Clin Invest 2024:e14266. [PMID: 38864773 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy represents a window of vulnerability to fetal development. Disruptions in the prenatal environment during this crucial period can increase the risk of the offspring developing diseases over the course of their lifetime. The central nervous system (CNS) has been shown to be particularly susceptible to changes during crucial developmental windows. To date, research focused on disruptions in the development of the CNS has predominantly centred on the brain, revealing a correlation between exposure to prenatal risk factors and the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, some studies indicate that the retina, which is part of the CNS, is also vulnerable to in utero alterations during pregnancy. Such changes may affect neuronal, glial and vascular components of the retina, compromising retinal structure and function and possibly impairing visual function. METHODS A search in the PubMed database was performed, and any literature concerning prenatal risk factors (drugs, diabetes, unbalanced diet, infection, glucocorticoids) affecting the offspring retina were included. RESULTS This review collects evidence on the cellular, structural and functional changes occurring in the retina triggered by maternal risk factors during pregnancy. We highlight the adverse impact on retinal development and its long-lasting effects, providing a critical analysis of the current knowledge while underlining areas for future research. CONCLUSIONS Appropriate recognition of the prenatal risk factors that negatively impact the developing retina may provide critical clues for the design of preventive strategies and for early therapeutic intervention that could change retinal pathology in the progeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa I Baptista
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - António F Ambrósio
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
- Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Coimbra, Portugal
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2
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Musa M, Aluyi-Osa G, Zeppieri M. Foster Kennedy Syndrome (FKS): A Case Report. Clin Pract 2022; 12:527-532. [PMID: 35892442 PMCID: PMC9326579 DOI: 10.3390/clinpract12040056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Foster Kennedy syndrome (FKS) is an ophthalmological condition characterized by an insidious reduction in vision in one eye, accompanied by clinically significant papilledema in the fellow eye. The unilateral loss of vision and optic atrophy is due to compressive optic atrophy, which causes elevated intracranial pressure that leads to swelling in the fellow eye. The risk factors for FKS include the presence of mass lesions in radiographic imaging, female gender, and increased body mass index. Differential diagnoses of FKS include tumors and pseudotumor of the frontal lobe and cranial meninges. (2) Methods: We present two cases of FKS diagnosed in February 2021 and December 2021. (3) Results: A 52-year-old male with a history of poor vision in one eye after trauma complained of constant headache. Ocular examination revealed disc pallor in his right eye with disc edema in the contralateral eye. The patient was sent for computerized tomography (CT) and placed on oral prednisolone tablets. The CT scan confirmed the diagnosis of FKS. A 30-year-old female presented to the emergency department for poor vision in her left eye and headache on the left side. Medication included dexamethasone, chloramphenicol, timolol eyedrops, furosemide, and anti-oxidant tablets dispensed from a previous private eye clinic. Ophthalmoscopy showed disc pallor with 0.1 cupping and arteriolar attenuation in both eyes with macular hemorrhages in her left eye. Bilateral papilledema secondary to raised intracranial hyper-tension was suspected. CT scans showed an intracranial mass. (4) Conclusions: These two cases show the importance of ocular examination in the diagnosis of serious systemic conditions. A concise case history, extensive ocular workup, and cranial imaging with magnetic resonance imaging and/or CT scans are indicative of patients showing acute visual loss and retro-orbital pain, which can give rise to the diagnosis of sight-threatening, permanent and fatal conditions, such as FKS. Non-surgical treatments include oral steroidal therapy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy; however, neurosurgery is normally required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutali Musa
- Department of Optometry, University of Benin, Benin City 300238, Edo State, Nigeria;
- Africa Eye Laser Centre Ltd., Sapele Road, Benin City 300001, Edo State, Nigeria;
| | - Gladness Aluyi-Osa
- Africa Eye Laser Centre Ltd., Sapele Road, Benin City 300001, Edo State, Nigeria;
| | - Marco Zeppieri
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0432-552743
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3
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Niedzwiedz-Massey VM, Douglas JC, Rafferty T, Kane CJ, Drew PD. Ethanol effects on cerebellar myelination in a postnatal mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Alcohol 2021; 96:43-53. [PMID: 34358666 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2021.07.003] [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: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are alarmingly common, result in significant personal and societal loss, and there are no effective treatments for these disorders. Cerebellar neuropathology is common in FASD and can cause impaired cognitive and motor function. The current study evaluates the effects of ethanol on oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, as well as molecules that modulate oligodendrocyte differentiation and function in the cerebellum in a postnatal mouse model of FASD. Neonatal mice were treated with ethanol from P4-P9 (postnatal day), the cerebellum was isolated at P10, and mRNAs encoding oligodendrocyte-associated molecules were quantitated by qRT-PCR. Our studies demonstrated that ethanol significantly reduced the expression of markers for multiple stages of oligodendrocyte maturation, including oligodendrocyte precursor cells, pre-myelinating oligodendrocytes, and mature myelinating oligodendrocytes. Additionally, we determined that ethanol significantly decreased the expression of molecules that play critical roles in oligodendrocyte differentiation. Interestingly, we also observed that ethanol significantly reduced the expression of myelin-associated inhibitors, which may act as a compensatory mechanism to ethanol toxicity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ethanol alters the expression of a variety of molecules important in oligodendrocyte function and myelination. Collectively, our studies increase our understanding of specific mechanisms by which ethanol modulates myelination in the developing cerebellum, and potentially identify novel targets for FASD therapy.
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Lee SSY, Mackey DA, Sanfilippo PG, Hewitt AW, Craig JE, Yazar S. In Utero Exposure to Smoking and Alcohol, and Passive Smoking during Childhood: Effect on the Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer in Young Adulthood. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2021; 29:507-514. [PMID: 34486472 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2021.1968005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In utero exposure to cigarette smoke has been suggested to result in thinner retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL). However, the potential cofounding effects of in utero alcohol exposure and passive smoking during childhood had not been considered. We explored RNFL thickness in young adults in relation to these early life factors. METHODS In 1989-1991, pregnant women completed questionnaires on their current smoking and alcohol drinking patterns. Following the birth of their offspring, information on household smokers was obtained between the 1- and 13-year follow-ups. At the 20-year follow-up, these offspring underwent an eye examination including optical coherence tomography imaging of the RNFL. RESULTS Participants (n = 1,287) were 19-22 years old at time of eye examination. Most participants (77%) had no in utero exposure to cigarette smoke; 1.3% were initially exposed but not after 18 weeks' gestation, while 21% had continual in utero smoking exposure. Half of the mothers never consumed alcohol or only consumed alcohol once during their pregnancies. After correcting for potential confounders, including in utero alcohel exposure and childhood passive smoking, participants who had continued in utero exposure to >10 cigarettes/day and ≤10 cigarettes/day had thinner RNFLs by 6.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.4-8.7) and 3.7 µm (95%[CI] = 2.3-5.5), respectively, than those with no exposure (p < .001). In utero alcohol exposure and childhood passive smoking were not significantly associated with RNFL thickness after accounting for in utero exposure to smoking. CONCLUSIONS In utero exposure to cigarette smoke is associated with thinner RFNL in young adulthood, independent of other early life environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Sze-Yee Lee
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), the University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David A Mackey
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), the University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,School Of Medicine, Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University Of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.,Centre For Eye Research Australia, University Of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye And Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul G Sanfilippo
- Centre For Eye Research Australia, University Of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye And Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alex W Hewitt
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), the University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,School Of Medicine, Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University Of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.,Centre For Eye Research Australia, University Of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye And Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jamie E Craig
- Eye And Vision, Flinders Health And Medical Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Seyhan Yazar
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), the University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Single Cell and Computational Genomics Laboratory, Garvan-Weizmann Centre For Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute Of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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5
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Niedzwiedz-Massey VM, Douglas JC, Rafferty T, Wight PA, Kane CJM, Drew PD. Ethanol modulation of hippocampal neuroinflammation, myelination, and neurodevelopment in a postnatal mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 87:107015. [PMID: 34256161 PMCID: PMC8440486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are alarmingly common and result in significant personal and societal loss. Neuropathology of the hippocampus is common in FASD leading to aberrant cognitive function. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of ethanol on the expression of a targeted set of molecules involved in neuroinflammation, myelination, neurotransmission, and neuron function in the developing hippocampus in a postnatal model of FASD. Mice were treated with ethanol from P4-P9, hippocampi were isolated 24 h after the final treatment at P10, and mRNA levels were quantitated by qRT-PCR. We evaluated the effects of ethanol on both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory molecules in the hippocampus and identified novel mechanisms by which ethanol induces neuroinflammation. We further demonstrated that ethanol decreased expression of molecules associated with mature oligodendrocytes and greatly diminished expression of a lacZ reporter driven by the first half of the myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) gene (PLP1). In addition, ethanol caused a decrease in genes expressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Together, these studies suggest ethanol may modulate pathogenesis in the developing hippocampus through effects on cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage, resulting in altered oligodendrogenesis and myelination. We also observed differential expression of molecules important in synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and neurotransmission. Collectively, the molecules evaluated in these studies may play a role in ethanol-induced pathology in the developing hippocampus and contribute to cognitive impairment associated with FASD. A better understanding of these molecules and their effects on the developing hippocampus may lead to novel treatment strategies for FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Niedzwiedz-Massey
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - James C Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Tonya Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Patricia A Wight
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Paul D Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
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6
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Kapur BM, Baber M. FASD: folic acid and formic acid — an unholy alliance in the alcohol abusing mother. Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 96:189-197. [DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2017-0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy remains a significant cause of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities; however, the mechanism of toxicity remains unclear. Methanol is present as a congener in many alcoholic beverages and is formed endogenously. Because ethanol is preferentially metabolized over methanol, it has been found in the sera and cerebro-spinal fluid of alcoholics. Toxicity resulting from methanol has been attributed to formic acid. Formic acid is present in significantly higher quantities in the biofluids of alcoholics. These higher levels can be cytotoxic and cause neuronal cell death. However, the adverse effects can be mitigated by adequate levels of hepatic folic acid, because formic acid elimination depends on folic acid. During pregnancy, folate concentrations are at least 2-fold higher in cord blood then in maternal blood, owing to increased folate requirements. The reverse has been demonstrated in pregnancies with alcohol abuse, suggesting downregulation of folate transporters and low fetal folate levels. Moreover, formic acid can cross the placenta and its adverse effects can be mitigated by folic acid. Thus, the combination of low fetal folate levels and presence of formic acid form a potent cytotoxic combination that may play a significant role in the etiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhushan M. Kapur
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Marta Baber
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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Wong EL, Stowell RD, Majewska AK. What the Spectrum of Microglial Functions Can Teach us About Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2017; 9:11. [PMID: 28674490 PMCID: PMC5474469 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2017.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during gestation can lead to severe defects in brain development and lifelong physical, behavioral and learning deficits that are classified under the umbrella term fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Sadly, FASD is diagnosed at an alarmingly high rate, affecting 2%–5% of live births in the United States, making it the most common non-heritable cause of mental disability. Currently, no standard therapies exist that are effective at battling FASD symptoms, highlighting a pressing need to better understand the underlying mechanisms by which alcohol affects the developing brain. While it is clear that sensory and cognitive deficits are driven by inappropriate development and remodeling of the neural circuits that mediate these processes, alcohol’s actions acutely and long-term on the brain milieu are diverse and complex. Microglia, the brain’s immune cells, have been thought to be a target for alcohol during development because of their exquisite ability to rapidly detect and respond to perturbations affecting the brain. Additionally, our view of these immune cells is rapidly changing, and recent studies have revealed a myriad of microglial physiological functions critical for normal brain development and long-term function. A clear and complete understanding of how microglial roles on this end of the spectrum may be altered in FASD is currently lacking. Such information could provide important insights toward novel therapeutic targets for FASD treatment. Here we review the literature that links microglia to neural circuit remodeling and provide a discussion of the current understanding of how developmental alcohol exposure affects microglial behavior in the context of developing brain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa L Wong
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochester, NY, United States
| | - Rianne D Stowell
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochester, NY, United States
| | - Ania K Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochester, NY, United States
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8
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Newville J, Valenzuela CF, Li L, Jantzie LL, Cunningham LA. Acute oligodendrocyte loss with persistent white matter injury in a third trimester equivalent mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Glia 2017; 65:1317-1332. [PMID: 28518477 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during central nervous system (CNS) development can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Human imaging studies have revealed significant white matter (WM) abnormalities linked to cognitive impairment in children with FASD; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we evaluated both the acute and long-term impacts of alcohol exposure on oligodendrocyte number and WM integrity in a third trimester-equivalent mouse model of FASD, in which mouse pups were exposed to alcohol during the first 2 weeks of postnatal development. Our results demonstrate a 58% decrease in the number of mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) and a 75% decrease in the number of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) within the corpus callosum of alcohol-exposed mice at postnatal day 16 (P16). Interestingly, neither mature OLs nor OPCs derived from the postnatal subventricular zone (SVZ) were numerically affected by alcohol exposure, indicating heterogeneity in susceptibility based on OL ontogenetic origin. Although mature OL and proliferating OPC numbers recovered by postnatal day 50 (P50), abnormalities in myelin protein expression and microstructure within the corpus callosum of alcohol-exposed subjects persisted, as assessed by western immunoblotting of myelin basic protein (MBP; decreased expression) and MRI diffusion tensor imaging (DTI; decreased fractional anisotropy). These results indicate that third trimester-equivalent alcohol exposure leads to an acute, albeit recoverable, decrease in OL lineage cell numbers, accompanied by enduring WM injury. Additionally, our finding of heterogeneity in alcohol susceptibility based on the developmental origin of OLs may have therapeutic implications in FASD and other disorders of WM development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Newville
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | - Lu Li
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Lee Anna Cunningham
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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9
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Wilhelm CJ, Guizzetti M. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: An Overview from the Glia Perspective. Front Integr Neurosci 2016; 9:65. [PMID: 26793073 PMCID: PMC4707276 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2015.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can produce a variety of central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities in the offspring resulting in a broad spectrum of cognitive and behavioral impairments that constitute the most severe and long-lasting effects observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Alcohol-induced abnormalities in glial cells have been suspected of contributing to the adverse effects of alcohol on the developing brain for several years, although much research still needs to be done to causally link the effects of alcohol on specific brain structures and behavior to alterations in glial cell development and function. Damage to radial glia due to prenatal alcohol exposure may underlie observations of abnormal neuronal and glial migration in humans with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), as well as primate and rodent models of FAS. A reduction in cell number and altered development has been reported for several glial cell types in animal models of FAS. In utero alcohol exposure can cause microencephaly when alcohol exposure occurs during the brain growth spurt a period characterized by rapid astrocyte proliferation and maturation; since astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the brain, microenchephaly may be caused by reduced astrocyte proliferation or survival, as observed in in vitro and in vivo studies. Delayed oligodendrocyte development and increased oligodendrocyte precursor apoptosis has also been reported in experimental models of FASD, which may be linked to altered myelination/white matter integrity found in FASD children. Children with FAS exhibit hypoplasia of the corpus callosum and anterior commissure, two areas requiring guidance from glial cells and proper maturation of oligodendrocytes. Finally, developmental alcohol exposure disrupts microglial function and induces microglial apoptosis; given the role of microglia in synaptic pruning during brain development, the effects of alcohol on microglia may be involved in the abnormal brain plasticity reported in FASD. The consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure on glial cells, including radial glia and other transient glial structures present in the developing brain, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and their precursors, and microglia contributes to abnormal neuronal development, reduced neuron survival and disrupted brain architecture and connectivity. This review highlights the CNS structural abnormalities caused by in utero alcohol exposure and outlines which abnormalities are likely mediated by alcohol effects on glial cell development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare J Wilhelm
- Research Service, VA Portland Health Care SystemPortland, OR, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortland, OR, USA
| | - Marina Guizzetti
- Research Service, VA Portland Health Care SystemPortland, OR, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortland, OR, USA
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10
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Guizzetti M, Zhang X, Goeke C, Gavin DP. Glia and neurodevelopment: focus on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Front Pediatr 2014; 2:123. [PMID: 25426477 PMCID: PMC4227495 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2014.00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last 20 years, new and exciting roles for glial cells in brain development have been described. Moreover, several recent studies implicated glial cells in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders including Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Abnormalities in glial cell development and proliferation and increased glial cell apoptosis contribute to the adverse effects of ethanol on the developing brain and it is becoming apparent that the effects of fetal alcohol are due, at least in part, to effects on glial cells affecting their ability to modulate neuronal development and function. The three major classes of glial cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia as well as their precursors are affected by ethanol during brain development. Alterations in glial cell functions by ethanol dramatically affect neuronal development, survival, and function and ultimately impair the development of the proper brain architecture and connectivity. For instance, ethanol inhibits astrocyte-mediated neuritogenesis and oligodendrocyte development, survival and myelination; furthermore, ethanol induces microglia activation and oxidative stress leading to the exacerbation of ethanol-induced neuronal cell death. This review article describes the most significant recent findings pertaining the effects of ethanol on glial cells and their significance in the pathophysiology of FASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA ; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington , Seattle, WA , USA
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA
| | - Calla Goeke
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA
| | - David P Gavin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA
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11
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Effects of early postnatal alcohol exposure on the developing retinogeniculate projections in C57BL/6 mice. Alcohol 2013; 47:173-9. [PMID: 23402901 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2012.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Revised: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 12/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies on the adverse effects of perinatal exposure to ethanol (EtOH) on the developing visual system mainly focused on retinal and optic nerve morphology. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether earlier reported retinal and optic nerve changes are accompanied by anomalies in eye-specific fiber segregation in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). C57BL/6 mice pups were exposed to ethanol by intragastric intubation at either 3 or 4 g/kg from postnatal days (PD) 3-10, the third trimester equivalent to human gestation. Control (C) and intubation control (IC) groups not exposed to ethanol were included. On PD9, retinogeniculate projections were labeled by intraocular microinjections of cholera toxin-β (CTB) either conjugated to Alexa 488 (green) or 594 (red) administrated to the left and right eye, respectively. Pups were sacrificed 24 h after the last CTB injection. The results showed that ethanol exposure decreased the total number of dLGN neurons and significantly reduced the total dLGN projection as well as the contralateral and ipsilateral projection areas.
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12
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Miao X, Lv H, Wang B, Chen Q, Miao L, Su G, Tan Y. Deletion of angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene attenuates chronic alcohol-induced retinal ganglion cell death with preservation of VEGF expression. Curr Eye Res 2012; 38:185-93. [PMID: 22954336 DOI: 10.3109/02713683.2012.720339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate how chronic alcohol consumption affects adult visual nervous system and whether renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is involved in this pathogenic process. METHODS Male transgenic mice with angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 (AT1) receptor gene knockout (AT1-KO) and age-matched wild-type (WT) mice were pair-fed a modified Lieber-DeCarli alcohol or isocaloric maltose dextrin control liquid diet for 2 months. At the end of the study, retinas were harvested and subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. RESULTS We found that chronic alcohol consumption significantly increased retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptosis in the retina of WT mice, but not AT1-KO mice, detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP-nick-end labeling staining and caspase 3 activation, along with an up-regulation of AT1 expression in RGC. At the same time, the phosphorylation of P53 in RGCs was significantly increased for both WT and AT1-KO mice exposed to alcohol, which could be significantly, although partially, prevented by AT1 gene deletion. We further examined the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD31, and found that alcohol treatment significantly decreased the expression of VEGF and CD31 in RGCs of WT mice, but not AT1-KO mice. CONCLUSION Taken together, our study demonstrates that the induction of RGC apoptosis by chronic alcohol exposure may be related to p53-activation and VEGF depression, all which are partially dependent of AT1 receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Miao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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13
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Dursun I, Jakubowska-Doğru E, van der List D, Liets LC, Coombs JL, Berman RF. Effects of early postnatal exposure to ethanol on retinal ganglion cell morphology and numbers of neurons in the dorsolateral geniculate in mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2011; 35:2063-74. [PMID: 21651582 PMCID: PMC3410545 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01557.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adverse effects of fetal and early postnatal ethanol intoxication on peripheral organs and the central nervous system are well documented. Ocular defects have also been reported in about 90% of children with fetal alcohol syndrome, including microphthalmia, loss of neurons in the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) layer, optic nerve hypoplasia, and dysmyelination. However, little is known about perinatal ethanol effects on retinal cell morphology. Examination of the potential toxic effects of alcohol on the neuron architecture is important because the changes in dendritic geometry and synapse distribution directly affect the organization and functions of neural circuits. Thus, in the present study, estimations of the numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), and a detailed analysis of RGC morphology were carried out in transgenic mice exposed to ethanol during the early postnatal period. METHODS The study was carried out in male and female transgenic mice expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) controlled by a Thy-1 (thymus cell antigen 1) regulator on a C57 background. Ethanol (3 g/kg/d) was administered to mouse pups by intragastric intubation throughout postnatal days (PDs) 3 to 20. Intubation control (IC) and untreated control (C) groups were included. Blood alcohol concentration was measured in separate groups of pups on PDs 3, 10, and 20 at 4 different time points, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 hours after the second intubation. Numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and in the dLGN were quantified on PD20 using unbiased stereological procedures. RGC morphology was imaged by confocal microscopy and analyzed using Neurolucida software. RESULTS Binge-like ethanol exposure in mice during the early postnatal period from PDs 3 to 20 altered RGC morphology and resulted in a significant decrease in the numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and in the dLGN. In the alcohol exposure group, out of 13 morphological parameters examined in RGCs, soma area was significantly reduced and dendritic tortuosity significantly increased. After neonatal exposure to ethanol, a decrease in total dendritic field area and an increase in the mean branch angle were also observed. Interestingly, RGC dendrite elongation and a decrease in the spine density were observed in the IC group, as compared to both ethanol-exposed and pure control subjects. There were no significant effects of alcohol exposure on total retinal area. CONCLUSIONS Early postnatal ethanol exposure affects development of the visual system, reducing the numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and in the dLGN, and altering RGCs' morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilknur Dursun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, 06531 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ewa Jakubowska-Doğru
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, 06531 Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Lauren C. Liets
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Julie L. Coombs
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Robert F. Berman
- Center for Neuroscience & Department of Neurological Surgery, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616
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DeMaman AS, Melo P, Homem JM, Tavares MA, Lachat JJ. Effectiveness of iron repletion in the diet for the optic nerve development of anaemic rats. Eye (Lond) 2009; 24:901-8. [DOI: 10.1038/eye.2009.205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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15
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VanDemark KL, Guizzetti M, Giordano G, Costa LG. Ethanol inhibits muscarinic receptor-induced axonal growth in rat hippocampal neurons. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2009; 33:1945-55. [PMID: 19673741 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2009.01032.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In utero alcohol exposure can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum (FAS) disorders characterized by cognitive and behavioral deficits. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that ethanol alters neuronal development. One mechanism through which ethanol has been shown to exert its effects is the perturbation of activated signaling cascades. The cholinergic agonist carbachol has been shown to induce axonal outgrowth through intracellular calcium mobilization, protein kinase C (PKC) activation, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. This study investigated the effect of ethanol on the differentiation of rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons induced by carbachol as a possible mechanism involved in the developmental neurotoxicity of ethanol. METHODS Prenatal rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons were treated with ethanol (50 to 75 mM) in the presence or absence of carbachol for 24 hours. Neurite outgrowth was assessed spectrophotometrically; axonal length was measured in neurons fixed and immunolabeled with the neuron-specific betaIII tubulin antibody; cytotoxicity was analyzed using the thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay. The effect of ethanol on carbachol-stimulated intracellular calcium mobilization was assessed utilizing the fluorescent calcium probe, Fluo-3AM. The PepTag(R) assay for nonradioactive detection of PKC from Promega was used to measure PKC activity, and ERK1/2 activation was determined by densitometric analysis of Western blots probed for phospo-ERK1/2. RESULTS Ethanol treatment (50 to 75 mM) caused an inhibition of carbachol-induced axonal growth, without affecting neuronal viability. Neuron treatment for 15 minutes with ethanol did not inhibit the carbachol-stimulated rise in intracellular calcium, while inhibiting PKC activity at the highest tested concentration and ERK1/2 phosphorylation at both the concentrations used in this study. On the other hand, neuron treatment for 24 hours with ethanol significantly inhibited carbachol-induced increase in intracellular calcium. CONCLUSIONS Ethanol inhibited carbachol-induced neurite outgrowth by inhibiting PKC and ERK1/2 activation. These effects may be, in part, responsible for some of the cognitive deficits associated with in utero alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L VanDemark
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Flanigan EY, Aros S, Bueno MF, Conley M, Troendle JF, Cassorla F, Mills JL. Eye malformations in children with heavy alcohol exposure in utero. J Pediatr 2008; 153:391-5. [PMID: 18571671 PMCID: PMC2570183 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2008.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2007] [Revised: 03/19/2008] [Accepted: 04/04/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether children who do not develop fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) despite heavy alcohol exposure are at risk for eye abnormalities. STUDY DESIGN We screened 9628 pregnant women and identified 101 women who were drinking >/= 2 oz of absolute alcohol per day and 101 nondrinking control women. We followed 43 exposed and 55 control offspring between age 4 and 9 years, performing masked standardized ophthalomologic examinations. RESULTS The groups did not differ in their rates of impaired visual acuity, refractory errors, ptosis, epicanthal folds, or short palpebral fissures. Biomicroscopy examination was normal in all exposed subjects; cataracts were detected in 2 control subjects (4%) but in no exposed subjects. Arterial tortuosity was seen in 7 exposed subjects (16%) and in 8 control subjects (15%). Optic nerve hypoplasia was not detected in any subject. CONCLUSIONS Previous research has found that children with FAS have a high incidence of serious ophthalmologic defects; our data indicate that the risk is limited to children with FAS and does not extend to children exposed to high levels of alcohol prenatally who do not develop FAS. Eye examinations are unlikely to clarify the diagnosis in children suspected of having alcohol-related damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Y. Flanigan
- Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA and Department of Pediatrics, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Sofia Aros
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Chile, San Borja Arriaran Clinical Hospital, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Mary Conley
- Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - James F. Troendle
- Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Fernando Cassorla
- Institute of Maternal and Child Research (IDIMI), School of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - James L. Mills
- Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Livy DJ, Elberger AJ. Alcohol exposure during the first two trimesters-equivalent alters the development of corpus callosum projection neurons in the rat. Alcohol 2008; 42:285-93. [PMID: 18468834 PMCID: PMC2683683 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2008.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2007] [Revised: 04/02/2008] [Accepted: 04/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Children exposed prenatally to alcohol can display a variety of neural deficits, including an altered development of the corpus callosum (CC), the largest interhemispheric axon pathway in the brain. Furthermore, these children show functional abnormalities that are related to brain regions with significant numbers of CC connections. Little is known about how alcohol imparts influence on CC development, but one possible mechanism is by affecting the corpus callosum projection neurons (CCpn) directly. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the number, size, and distribution of CCpn within the visual cortex. The visual cortex was selected specifically due to the many vision-related deficits noted in fetal alcohol exposed children and because the critical role of the CC in visual cortex development is well documented. Sprague-Dawley rat pups received one of four alcohol dosages during gestational days (G) 1-20, or reared as nutritional or untreated control animals. Each litter was categorized according to the peak blood alcohol concentration experienced. Pups were removed from each litter on days equivalent to G29, G36, G43, and G50, for histology and measurement. Callosal axons were labeled retrogradely to their CCpn using 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) and the CCpn were then examined using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Differences between alcohol-exposed and control animals were observed in CCpn cell body size, number, and location with the cortex. This was particularly true of animals exposed to high doses of alcohol. In addition, some trends of CCpn development were found to be unchanged as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure. The results demonstrate clear differences in the development of CCpn in the visual cortex between alcohol-exposed and control animals and suggest that this development is particularly affected in those animals exposed to high doses of alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Livy
- Division of Anatomy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7 Canada
| | - Andrea J. Elberger
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 855 Monroe Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163 U.S.A., Tel: 901-448-4101, FAX: 901-448-7193,
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Correlation of axon size and myelin occupancy in rats prenatally exposed to methamphetamine. Brain Res 2008; 1222:61-8. [PMID: 18585694 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2007] [Revised: 10/30/2007] [Accepted: 05/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The abuse of methamphetamine (MA) and other psychostimulants is a social and medical problem. In particular, the use of these drugs by pregnant women results in an increased number of children exposed prenatally to psychostimulants. Our previous work has demonstrated that prenatal exposure to MA affects the normal development of the rat visual system due to alterations of biochemical mechanisms and oxidative stress. It was also demonstrated that prenatal exposure to MA affects the dopaminergic system of the rat retina and optic nerve (ON) myelination. The present work was conducted to evaluate the effects of prenatal exposure to MA on the development of the ON in terms of axon growth and the myelin sheath. Pregnant female rats were given 5 mg/kg/day MA, subcutaneously (s.c.), in 0.9% saline from gestational day (GD) 8 to 22. The pair-fed control group was injected s.c. with an isovolumetric dose of 0.9% saline. Qualitative analysis was performed using representative electron ultramicrographs. Quantitative analysis was performed at an electron microscopic level on ON cross sections; parameters measured included myelinated/unmyelinated ratio, outer axon mean area, inner axon mean area, myelin mean area, myelin occupancy and distribution of axons by size. The ON of prenatally MA-exposed rats presented a higher rate of deformed axons and slighter lamellar separation. At PND 21, the average outer axon area of MA-treated males was significantly reduced. The average inner axon area only showed a significant difference between MA and control males for axons with an area of less than 0.3 microm(2). The average myelin area of MA-treated males was significantly reduced, and in MA-treated females was only significantly reduced in axons with an area of less than 0.3 microm(2). The percentage of myelin occupancy was significantly affected in MA-treated males, and in MA-treated females in the group of axons with an area of more than 0.3 microm(2). At PND 14 no significant differences were found between MA and control groups. The spectrum of ON myelinated axon size of MA-treated animals was shifted to the left at PND 14 and PND 21 for both genders. These results are in agreement with previous animal studies of prenatal and perinatal exposure to drugs of abuse. Taken together, these data indicate that the ON is vulnerable to early exposure to MA which causes developmental changes and may interfere with the functioning of the visual system.
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Dlugos CA, Rabin RA. Ocular deficits associated with alcohol exposure during zebrafish development. J Comp Neurol 2007; 502:497-506. [PMID: 17394139 DOI: 10.1002/cne.21320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Approximately 90% of fetal alcohol syndrome cases are accompanied by ocular abnormalities. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a well-known developmental model that provides an opportunity for better understanding the histological and cytological effects of developmental exposure to ethanol on the vertebrate eye. The purpose of the present study was to determine the gross, microscopic, and ultrastructual effects of developmental exposure to ethanol in the zebrafish model. Eggs were obtained from WT outbred zebrafish and exposed to 0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.5%, or 1.0% (v/v) ethanol to assess viability and the effect of dose and duration of exposure on eye size. Light and electron microscopy were performed on ethanol-treated and control larvae. Results showed that ethanol treatment decreased viability by about 20% at concentrations of 0.1-0.5% ethanol and by 50% at 1.0% ethanol. Ethanol-related decreases in eye size were recorded at 6 days postfertilization (dpf) and were dose dependent. There were significant decreases in the volumes of the photoreceptor, inner nuclear, and ganglionic layers and in the lens of 9 dpf ethanol-exposed compared with control larvae. Ultrastructural examination showed signs of developmental lags in the ethanol-treated fish as well as abnormal retinal apoptosis in the 6 dpf ethanol-treated larvae compared with their controls. These results demonstrate that the developing zebrafish eye is sensitive to perturbation with ethanol and displays some of the eye deficits present in fetal alcohol syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia A Dlugos
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214-3000, USA.
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Tufan AC, Abban G, Akdogan I, Erdogan D, Ozogul C. The effect of in ovo ethanol exposure on retina and optic nerve in a chick embryo model system. Reprod Toxicol 2006; 23:75-82. [PMID: 17074462 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2006.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2006] [Revised: 09/06/2006] [Accepted: 09/19/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ocular anomalies seen in children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) suggest that ocular structures are sensitive to alcohol exposure during their development. This study was designed to investigate the effect of in ovo ethanol (EtOH) exposure on retinal development and myelinization of optic nerve fibers at an ultra structural level in a chick embryo model system. Prior to incubation, fertilized chicken eggs were injected once with 100 microl of either 0.9% NaCl (vehicle control), or EtOH solutions at different doses (10, 30, or 50%, v:v in 0.9% NaCl) into their air sacs and incubated at 37.5 degrees C and saturation humidity. On day 20 embryos were analyzed in terms of their viability and growth and the optic cups including the optic nerves were dissected out. Specimens were processed for electron microscopy (EM). Results showed that, EtOH significantly decreased the viability of chick embryos (P < 0.045), and caused significant prenatal growth retardation (P < 0.004) in a dose-dependant manner. Light microscopy of semi thin sections revealed that prenatal exposure to EtOH resulted in both retinal degeneration and optic nerve hypoplasia (P < 0.001) in a dose-dependant manner. EM revealed that a dose-dependant decrease in the number of myelinated nerve fibers was profound in groups exposed to EtOH (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the myelin coats observed were thinner than those seen in control embryos. In groups exposed to EtOH myelin sheets were unorganized and contained vacuolar structures in between them. The tissue in between the cells and optic nerve fibers, on the other hand, lost its intact appearance with vacuolar and vesicular structures in between them. In addition, the optic nerve fibers contained granular accumulations in EtOH exposed groups. A dose dependent degeneration was also observed in retinas of EtOH exposed groups. The effect of EtOH was profound in pigment epithelium (PE), inner plexiform layer (IPL), and ganglion cell layer (GC). Mitochondrial deficiencies, and alterations in melanin granule number and distribution dominated the defects seen in PE. On the other hand, EM findings of all the affected layers were suggestive of induced cell death in EtOH exposed groups. Thus, this study suggests retinal development with the emphasis on melanin pigmentation in PE and optic nerve myelinization as potential targets of prenatal EtOH exposure and discusses potential mechanisms of EtOH action on these tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cevik Tufan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey.
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21
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Melo P, Moreno VZ, Vázquez SP, Pinazo-Durán MD, Tavares MA. Myelination changes in the rat optic nerve after prenatal exposure to methamphetamine. Brain Res 2006; 1106:21-29. [PMID: 16842764 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2006] [Revised: 05/05/2006] [Accepted: 05/08/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The use of psychostimulants during adolescence and early adult life has increased in recent years. It is known that these substances affect the sensory systems, and the optic nerve has been shown to be a target tissue. This work was conducted to evaluate the effects of prenatal exposure to methamphetamine (MA) on the developmental pattern of the rat optic nerve. Pregnant female rats were given 5 mg/kg body weight/day MA, s.c., in 0.9% saline from gestational days 8 to 22. The control group was injected with an isovolumetric dose of 0.9% saline. Animal model parameters, such as gestational body weight evolution, food intake and pups parameters were registered. The offspring were sacrificed at postnatal days (PND) 7, 14 and 21. Morphometric analyses were performed at light and electron microscopic levels on optic nerve cross sections; parameters measured included optic nerve diameter and area, axonal density, total number of axons and myelin thickness. Myelin basic protein (MBP) was measured by western blotting in optic nerve samples at PND14 and PND21. The animal model parameters, such as maternal and pup weight, showed no significant differences between MA and control groups. Optic nerve diameter was smaller at PND7 in the male MA group and in both male and female MA groups at PND21. The mean cross-sectional area was smaller at PND14 in the male MA group and in both male and female groups at PND21. The total number of myelinated axons did not vary between groups at any of the studied ages. The myelin thickness of the axons in MA-treated females was thinner when compared with the respective control group at PND21. No other differences were found concerning myelin thickness. There was a reduction of MBP protein expression in MA-injected females at PND14 and PND21. The combined results suggest that prenatal exposure to MA affects the myelination process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Melo
- Institute of Anatomy Professor J. A. Pires da Silva, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Alameda Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Vicente Zanón Moreno
- Ophthalmology Research Unit "Santiago Grisolia", University Hospital Doctor Peset, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sheila Pons Vázquez
- Ophthalmology Research Unit "Santiago Grisolia", University Hospital Doctor Peset, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Maria Amélia Tavares
- Institute of Anatomy Professor J. A. Pires da Silva, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Alameda Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, Porto, Portugal.
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Warren DA, Graeter LJ, Channel SR, Eggers JS, Goodyear CD, Macmahon KL, Sudberry GL, Latendresse JR, Fisher JW, Baker WH. Trichloroethylene, trichloroacetic acid, and dichloroacetic acid: do they affect eye development in the Sprague-Dawley rat? Int J Toxicol 2006; 25:279-84. [PMID: 16815816 DOI: 10.1080/10915810600745975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Maternal exposure to high doses of trichloroethylene (TCE) and its oxidative metabolites, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and dichloroacetic acid (DCA), has been implicated in eye malformations in fetal rats, primarily micro-/anophthalmia. Subsequent to a cardiac teratology study of these compounds (Fisher et al. 2001, Int. J. Toxicol. 20:257-267), their potential to induce ocular malformations was examined in a subset of the same experimental animals. Pregnant, Sprague-Dawley Crl:CDR BR rats were orally treated on gestation days (GDs) 6 to 15 with bolus doses of either TCE (500 mg/kg/day), TCA (300 mg/kg/day), DCA (300 mg/kg/day), or all-trans retinoic acid (RA; 15 mg/kg/day). The heads of GD 21 fetuses were not only examined grossly for external malformations, but were sectioned using a modified Wilson's technique and subjected to computerized morphometry that allowed for the quantification of lens area, globe area, medial canthus distance, and interocular distance. Gross ocular malformations were essentially absent in all treatment groups except for the RA group in which 26% of fetuses exhibited micro-/anophthalmia. Using the litter as the experimental unit of analysis, lens area, globe area, and interocular distance were statistically significantly reduced in the DCA treatment group. Statistically significant reductions in lens and globe areas also occurred in the RA treatment group, all four ocular measures were reduced in the TCA treatment group but none significantly so, and TCE was without effect. Because DCA, TCA, and RA treatments were associated with significant reductions in fetal body weight (bw), data were also statistically analyzed after bw adjustment. Doing so dramatically altered the results of treatment group comparisons, but the severity of bw reduction and the degree of change in ocular measures did not always correlate. This suggests that bw reduction may not be an adequate explanation for all the changes observed in ocular measures. Thus, it is unclear whether DCA specifically disrupted ocular development even under these provocative exposure conditions. Clearly, however, if TCE is capable of disrupting ocular development in the Sprague-Dawley rat, a higher dose than that employed in the present study is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Warren
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Human Effectiveness Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, USA.
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Allen GC, Farnell YZ, Maeng JU, West JR, Chen WJA, Earnest DJ. Long-term effects of neonatal alcohol exposure on photic reentrainment and phase-shifting responses of the activity rhythm in adult rats. Alcohol 2005; 37:79-88. [PMID: 16584971 PMCID: PMC2695981 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2005.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2005] [Revised: 11/08/2005] [Accepted: 11/18/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In rats, neonatal alcohol (EtOH) exposure coinciding with the period of rapid brain growth produces structural damage in some brain regions that often persists into adulthood and thus may have long-term consequences in the neural regulation of behavior. Because recent findings indicate that the circadian clock located in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus is vulnerable to alcohol-induced insults during development, the present study examined the long-term effects of neonatal alcohol exposure on the photic regulation of circadian behavior in adult rats. Rat pups were exposed to alcohol (3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 g x kg(-1) x day(-1)) or isocaloric milk formula on postnatal days 4-9 using artificial-rearing methods. At 2 months of age, animals were housed individually and circadian wheel-running behavior was continuously analyzed to determine the effects of neonatal alcohol treatment on the rate of reentrainment to a 6-h advance in the 12-h light:12-h dark photoperiod and the phase-shifting properties of free-running rhythms in response to discrete light pulses on a background of constant darkness. For all doses, neonatal alcohol exposure had a significant effect in reducing the time for reentrainment such that EtOH-treated rats required four to five fewer days than control animals for stable realignment of the activity rhythm to the shifted light-dark cycle. Coupled with the accelerated rate of reentrainment, the amplitude of light-evoked phase delays at circadian time 14 and advances at circadian time 22 in the 4.5 and 6.0 g x kg(-1) x day(-1) EtOH groups was almost twofold greater than that observed in control animals. The present observations indicate that the mechanisms by which photic signals regulate circadian behavior are permanently altered following alcohol exposure during the period of rapid brain development. These long-term alterations in the photic regulation of circadian rhythms may account, at least partially, for some neurobehavioral consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure in humans such as depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg C Allen
- Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Neurobiology, The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, College of Medicine, 228 Reynolds Medical Building, College Station, TX 77843-1114, USA
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Kuczkowski KM. Labor analgesia for the tobacco and ethanol abusing pregnant patient: a routine management? Arch Gynecol Obstet 2004; 271:6-10. [PMID: 15309404 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-004-0669-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2004] [Accepted: 07/06/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Illicit substance use in pregnancy has received significant media attention over the past 25 years. However, far too little attention has been given to the consequences of the use/misuse of social drugs such as tobacco and ethanol, which are by far the most commonly used/misused substances in pregnancy. DISCUSSION While the deleterious effects of amphetamines or cocaine on the mother and the fetus are more pronounced and easier to detect, the addiction to tobacco and ethanol is usually subtle and more difficult to diagnose. As a result, recreational use of tobacco and alcohol in pregnancy may continue undetected, significantly impacting pregnancy outcome and the peripartum management of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof M Kuczkowski
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Reproductive Medicine, University of California San Diego, 200 W. Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103-8770, USA.
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Strömland K. Visual impairment and ocular abnormalities in children with fetal alcohol syndrome. Addict Biol 2004; 9:153-7; discussion 159-60. [PMID: 15223541 DOI: 10.1080/13556210410001717024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) may have impaired vision and various ocular abnormalities. All parts of the eye may be affected and anomalies such as microphthalmus, microcornea, Peters' anomaly, cataract, persistent hyperplastic primary hyaloid vitreous body, coloboma of the iris and choroid, retinal dysplasia and, most commonly, optic nerve hypoplasia and tortuosity of the retinal vessels, have been reported. The periocular facial features consist of short palpebral fissures (included in the criteria for diagnosis of FAS), telecanthus, epicanthus and blepharoptosis. Visual function may be reduced to a moderate or severe degree. Refractive errors and strabismus are common. Considering the high frequency of ocular pathology in FAS, an ophthalmological examination is helpful in making the diagnosis. The early detection of impaired vision and ocular abnormalities in affected children is important in the management of the disorder. In this article, the ophthalmological signs and symptoms in children with FAS are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Strömland
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Pediatric Opthamology, Göteborg University, Göteburg, Sweden.
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Abstract
Substance abuse has crossed social, economic, and geographic borders and--throughout the world--remains one of the major problems facing society today. The prevalence of substance abuse in young adults (including women) has increased markedly over the past 20 years. Nearly 90% of drug-abusing women are of childbearing age. Consequently, it is not unusual to encounter pregnant women who abuse illicit drugs, as numerous case reports of drug abuse in pregnancy confirm. The diverse clinical manifestations of drug abuse combined with physiologic changes of pregnancy, and pathophysiology of coexisting pregnancy-related disease may lead to life-threatening complications and significantly impact the practice of obstetrical anesthesia. Regardless of the drug(s) ingested and clinical manifestations, it is always difficult to predict the exact anesthetic implications in chemically dependent patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof M Kuczkowski
- Department of Anesthesiology and Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103, USA.
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Drug abuse has crossed geographic, economic and social borders, and it remains one of the major problems facing our society today. The prevalence of recreational drug abuse among young adults (including women) has increased markedly over the past two decades. Nearly 90% of drug abusing women are of childbearing age. Consequently, it is not surprising to find pregnant women with a history of drug addiction. Obstetricians and obstetric anesthesiologists become involved in the care of drug abusing patients either in emergency situations, such as placental abruption, uterine rupture or fetal distress, or in more controlled situations, such as request for labor analgesia. The diverse clinical manifestations of maternal substance abuse may result in life-threatening complications and significantly impact the peripartum care of these patients. TARGET AUDIENCE Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians. LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completion of this article, the reader will be able to list the most commonly abused substances during pregnancy, to describe the various effects of particular substances on pregnancy including the mechanism of desired effect for various substances, and to outline the obstetric anesthesia recommendations for the various substances abused during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof M Kuczkowski
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, UCSD Medical Center, 200 W. Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103-8770, USA.
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Bilotta J, Saszik S, Givin CM, Hardesty HR, Sutherland SE. Effects of embryonic exposure to ethanol on zebrafish visual function. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2002; 24:759-66. [PMID: 12460658 DOI: 10.1016/s0892-0362(02)00319-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Across a variety of species, including humans, it has been shown that embryos exposed to ethanol display eye abnormalities as well as deficiencies in visual physiology and behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of embryonic exposure to ethanol on visual function in zebrafish. Visual function was assessed physiologically, via electroretinogram (ERG) recordings, and behaviorally, by measuring visual acuity with the optomotor response. Zebrafish larvae were exposed to 1.5% ethanol at various times during development, including the period of maximal eye development. The results show that ethanol effects on visual function were most pronounced when exposure occurred during eye development. ERG recordings from ethanol-exposed larvae differed from normal subjects both in shape of the response waveform and in visual thresholds under both light and dark adaptation; the differences were more pronounced under lower levels of adaptation. Also, ethanol-exposed larvae displayed lower visual acuity as determined from the optomotor response. These results indicate embryonic ethanol exposure affects visual function particularly when exposure occurs during eye development. In addition, these findings illustrate the usefulness of the zebrafish as a viable animal model for studying Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Bilotta
- Department of Psychology and Biotechnology Center, Western Kentucky University, 1 Big Red Way, Bowling Green 42101, USA.
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Kuczkowski KM. Ethanol and tobacco abuse in pregnancy: Anaesthetic considerations. SOUTHERN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ANAESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA 2002. [DOI: 10.1080/22201173.2002.10872968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Sawada K, Sakata-Haga H, Komatsu S, Ohta K, Jeong YG, Fukui Y. A selective loss of small-diameter myelinated optic nerve axons in rats prenatally exposed to ethanol. Congenit Anom (Kyoto) 2002; 42:125-9. [PMID: 12196709 DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-4520.2002.tb00861.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pregnant rats were fed an ethanol-containing liquid diet between gestational days 10 and 21. The optic nerves of their litters at 49 days of age were examined using quantitative stereological procedures. Cross-sectional areas of the optic nerve in ethanol-exposed rats were significantly smaller than those in controls. This was reflected in the reduced number of myelinated fibers, but not of non-myelinated fibers. The size distribution histogram indicated a decreased number of small axonal-diameter myelinated fibers in ethanol-exposed rats. The results suggested optic nerve hypoplasia in ethanol-exposed rats characterized by a selective loss of small-diameter myelinated fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiko Sawada
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Neurobiology, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan.
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O'Hara MF, Charlap JH, Craig RC, Knudsen TB. Mitochondrial transduction of ocular teratogenesis during methylmercury exposure. TERATOLOGY 2002; 65:131-44. [PMID: 11877777 DOI: 10.1002/tera.10028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlation between MeHg developmental toxicity and mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) expression in the embryonic forebrain and pharmacological intervention with PK11195, a ligand for the mitochondrial peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (Bzrp). METHODS Pregnant CD-1 mice were dosed with methylmercury (II) chloride (MeHg) with or without 4 mg/kg PK11195 on Day 9 of gestation. Fetuses were examined on Day 9 (RT-PCR), Day 15 (histology), and Day 17 (teratology). RESULTS MeHg (10 mg/kg) induced microcephaly, microphthalmia and cleft palate. The mean incidences of malformed fetuses were 47.7% with MeHg (P < 0.001) and 19.2% with PK11195 co-treatment (P < 0.01 for rescue). Cleft palates were 12.8% and 1.5%, respectively. An estimate of neurocranial circumference revealed a small (5%) but highly significant (P < 0.001) reduction that was rescued in a subset of co-treated fetuses (P < 0.05). RT-PCR analysis of the Day 9 forebrain revealed inhibition of 16S rRNA expression 3.0 hr after 5 mg/kg MeHg exposure (P < 0.001). This effect was rescued with PK11195 (P < 0.001). Preliminary findings revealed a similar response-rescue in cultured embryos exposed to 1 microM Hg(II) when exogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was added. Protoporphyrin-IX (PP9), the penultimate precursor to heme and an endogenous ligand of the Bzrp, increased in a manner that was ALA-dependent and PK11195-sensitive. CONCLUSION At least some teratological effects of Hg appear linked with late steps in the heme biosynthesis pathway through the Bzrp. PK11195, a ligand for these mitochondrial receptors, significantly lessens the risk of microphthalmia, microcephaly, and cleft palate in Hg-poisoned embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F O'Hara
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA
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