Differences between NMRI and DBA/2J mice in the development of somites and susceptibility to methylnitrosourea-induced skeleton anomalies

ABSTRACT The development of DBA/2J mouse strain embryos is nearly 12 h - or 6 somite pairs - delayed as compared to the outbred NMRI mouse embryos of the same age on gestation days (GD) 8-12. To evaluate inter-strain differences in susceptibility to teratogens, dams were treated with methylnitrosourea (MNU, 5 mg/kg body weight i.p.) on defined gestation days (NMRI: GD 9, 91/2 or 10; DBA/2J: GD 10 or 101/2). Skeletal anomalies produced by MNU on both mouse strains varied with the GD of treatment. The pattern of anomalies produced by MNU on a given GD markedly differed between the two mouse strains, yet they were similar -with a few exceptions- when exposures at equivalent embryonic stages are compared. Findings from this study indicated that strain-dependent differences in the developmental stage of mouse embryos of the same gestational age occur, a possibility that has been often neglected when inter-strain differences in susceptibility to developmental toxicants are interpreted.

Skeletal anomalies of gabapentin in pregnant female albino rats

Gabapentin is one of the new antiepileptic drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal anomalies of gabapentin in pregnant female albino rats. Thirty virgin female albino rats were used and classified into three equal groups each consisted of 10 rats. The first group received nothing except regular diet and tap water and considered as negative control. The second group received 1 ml saline daily orally from the 1st day till the 20th day of gestation. The third group received gabapentin in a single dose of 324 mg/kg body weight in 1 ml saline orally daily from the 1st day to the 20th day of gestation. On the 20th day of pregnancy, rats were sacrificed and the uterine horns promptly exposed, the number of alive fetuses was detected as well as the number of fetal resorptions. Individual fetal weight, crown- rump length [CRL] and bipareital diameter were recorded. Then fetuses were eviscerated and placed into alizarin red stain for detection of osseous skeleton. The numbers of fetal resorptions in the negative and positive control rats were 5% and 4.6% respectively. The number of fetal resorptions in gabapentin treated dams was 42%. The numbers of examined alive fetuses were 85, 82, and 28 in negative control, positive control and gabapentin treated rats respectively. There were significant decrease in the weight, CRL and bipareital diameter measures in fetuses of third group [gabapentin treated] compared to those in the first group [negative control]. Fetuses stained with alizarin stain of dams treated with gabapentin revealed incomplete ossification of skull bones as parietal, interpareital, occipital, frontal, lacrimal and occipital bones. Also, there were incomplete ossifications of vertebral, metacarpal and metatarsal bones. It can be concluded that gabapentin is experimentally a teratogenic drug. It can be recommended that further studies must be done to evaluate teratogenicity of gabapentin in humans. Mothers taking it during pregnancy have to check regularly their fetuses till the end of pregnancy. But it is preferred that those women should be advised to use a contraceptive method during treatment with this drug to avoid its teratogenic effect

Cleido-cranial dysostosis case report and review of skeletal abnormalities

Cleido-cranial dysostosis is a rare hereditary disorder affecting intramembranous bone formation. It primarily affects the skull, clavicle and pelvis. Here, we describe a case presenting as a thoracic scoliosis. A review of the skeletal abnormalities is also discussed

Síndrome de Tar: apresentaçäo de um caso / TAR's syndrome: report of a case

Os autores relatam um caso de um recém-nascido com trombocitopenia e ausência bilateral de rádio (TAR). Trata-se de uma síndrome autossômica recessiva, onde neste caso os pais näo eram co-sanguíneos e as manifestaçöes clínicas começaram com o aparecimento de hematemese, petéquias e hemorragia umbilical na idade de 10 dias. Além de ausência de rádio apresentava também anomalias esqueléticas