Diabetes-induced effects on cardiomyocytes in chick embryonic heart micromass and mouse embryonic D3 differentiated stem cells.

Diabetes mellitus during pregnancy is a considerable medical challenge, since it is related to augmented morbidity and mortality concerns for both the fetus and the pregnant woman. Records show that the etiology of diabetic embryopathy is complicated, as many teratological factors might be involved in the mechanisms of diabetes mellitus-induced congenital malformation. In this study, the potential cardiotoxic effect of hyperglycemia with hyperketonemia was investigated by using two in vitro models; primary chick embryonic cardiomyocytes and stem cell derived cardiomyocytes, where adverse effects were recorded in both systems. The cells were evaluated by changes in beating activity, cell activity, protein content, ROS production, DNA damage and differentiating stem cell migration. The diabetic formulae used produced an increase in DNA damage and a decline in cell migration in mouse embryonic stem cells. These results provide an additional insight into adverse effects during gestational diabetes mellitus and a recommendation for expectant mothers and maternity staff to monitor glycaemic levels months ahead of conception. This study also supports the recommendation of using antioxidants during pregnancy to prevent DNA damage by the production of ROS, which might result in heart defects as well as other developmental anomalies.

Assessment of developmental cardiotoxic effects of some commonly used phytochemicals in mouse embryonic D3 stem cell differentiation and chick embryonic cardiomyocyte micromass culture models.

Pregnant women often use herbal medicines to alleviate symptoms of pregnancy. The active phytochemicals eugenol (from holy basil) and α-bisabolol (from chamomile) are recommended to promote calmness and reduce stress. There is evidence that both eugenol and α-bisabolol possess pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects and induce reactive oxygen species. The potential effect was examined by monitoring cardiomyocyte contractile activity (differentiation), cell activity, protein content and ROS production for mouse D3 embryonic stem cell and chick embryonic micromass culture. The results showed that eugenol (0.01-80µM) demonstrated effects on cell activity (both systems) and ROS production (stem cell system only), as well as decreasing the contractile activity and protein content at high concentrations in both systems. Additionally, α-bisabolol (0.01-80µM) at high concentrations decreased the contractile activity and cell activity and in the stem cell system induced ROS production and decreased protein content. The results suggest only low concentrations should be ingested in pregnancy. .

Evaluation of embryotoxicity for major components of herbal extracts using the chick embryonic heart micromass and mouse D3 embryonic stem cell systems.

Herbal remedies are often used during the early stages of pregnancy, being considered 'harmless' and 'natural'. There are insufficient data regarding their potential embryotoxicity. The main components of selected herbs, including 6-gingerol from ginger, Ginkgolide A and Ginkgolide B from gingko biloba and Ginsenoside Rg1 from ginseng, have been investigated using chick embryonic heart micromass and Mouse D3 embryonic stem cells. The potential effects were evaluated via alteration in contractility, cell viability, and cell protein content. The myocytes in both systems were also demonstrated by immunocytochemistry using a specific cardiomyocyte marker (α-actinin). For 6-gingerol, Ginkgolide A, Ginkgolide B and Ginsenoside Rg1 in both methods, at moderate to high concentrations, there were alterations in the values for the endpoints. These data indicate that herbal remedies used in the first trimester of pregnancy might not be safe for fetal development.

Evaluation of bupropion hydrochloride developmental cardiotoxic effects in chick cardiomyocyte micromass culture and stem cell derived cardiomyocyte systems.

The use of antidepressant drug bupropion hydrochloride (BPN) during pregnancy results in increased cardiovascular anomalies. In this study, BPN developmental cardiotoxic effects in in vitro system were evaluated using chick cardiomyocyte micromass (MM) culture system and mouse embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocyte (ESDC) system. In MM system, the cardiomyocyte contractile activity significantly decreased only at BPN 200 µM, while in ESDC system BPN concentration above 75 µM resulted in decreased contractile activity. The increase in drug concentration also affected the cardiomyocyte viability and total cellular protein content in both systems, but in ESDC system the cell viability failed to attain significant difference. The drug failed to induce reactive oxygen species production in both systems, but has affected the cardiac connexin43 expression especially in MM system. We observed that BPN showed developmental cardiotoxic effects irrespective of the stage of cardiac development in both in vitro systems.