Biomaterial Database

Significance of embryo culture methods for studying the prenatal toxicity of virustatic agents. 1993

R Stahlmann, and S Klug, and M Foerster, and D Neubert

Institut für Toxikologie und Embryopharmakologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.

Culture methods have become important tools for elucidating the prenatal toxicity of drugs and other xenobiotics. In this paper we will review how we used in vitro as well as in vivo approaches to demonstrate the teratogenic potential of aciclovir and other related virustatic agents. In addition, some new data on this topic will be given. The teratogenic potential of the virustatic agent aciclovir was not recognized in routinely performed segment-II-studies, but the first indication came from experiments with the culture of rat embryos. Subsequently, the findings were confirmed in modified in vivo tests and it became clear that out of a group of six related drugs aciclovir exhibited the highest potential for prenatal toxicity. The effects of aciclovir on limb development were not pronounced--this has been shown with in vitro and in vivo experiments as well. In vivo experiments first indicated that the prenatal development of the thymus is disturbed by aciclovir. This effect was further studied with the culture of fetal thymuses and again the effect of aciclovir could be compared with related drugs. In summary, our work with virustatics during the last years has shown that in vivo and in vitro approaches are by no means competitive and that a combination of both approaches can provide a solid basis for a toxicologic evaluation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011297	Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects	The consequences of exposing the FETUS in utero to certain factors, such as NUTRITION PHYSIOLOGICAL PHENOMENA; PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS; DRUGS; RADIATION; and other physical or chemical factors. These consequences are observed later in the offspring after BIRTH.	Delayed Effects, Prenatal Exposure,Late Effects, Prenatal Exposure
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D004353	Drug Evaluation, Preclinical	Preclinical testing of drugs in experimental animals or in vitro for their biological and toxic effects and potential clinical applications.	Drug Screening,Evaluation Studies, Drug, Pre-Clinical,Drug Evaluation Studies, Preclinical,Drug Evaluations, Preclinical,Evaluation Studies, Drug, Preclinical,Evaluation, Preclinical Drug,Evaluations, Preclinical Drug,Medicinal Plants Testing, Preclinical,Preclinical Drug Evaluation,Preclinical Drug Evaluations,Drug Screenings,Screening, Drug,Screenings, Drug
D004622	Embryo, Mammalian	The entity of a developing mammal (MAMMALS), generally from the cleavage of a ZYGOTE to the end of embryonic differentiation of basic structures. For the human embryo, this represents the first two months of intrauterine development preceding the stages of the FETUS.	Embryonic Structures, Mammalian,Mammalian Embryo,Mammalian Embryo Structures,Mammalian Embryonic Structures,Embryo Structure, Mammalian,Embryo Structures, Mammalian,Embryonic Structure, Mammalian,Embryos, Mammalian,Mammalian Embryo Structure,Mammalian Embryonic Structure,Mammalian Embryos,Structure, Mammalian Embryo,Structure, Mammalian Embryonic,Structures, Mammalian Embryo,Structures, Mammalian Embryonic
D004625	Embryo, Nonmammalian	The developmental entity of a fertilized egg (ZYGOTE) in animal species other than MAMMALS. For chickens, use CHICK EMBRYO.	Embryonic Structures, Nonmammalian,Embryo, Non-Mammalian,Embryonic Structures, Non-Mammalian,Nonmammalian Embryo,Nonmammalian Embryo Structures,Nonmammalian Embryonic Structures,Embryo Structure, Nonmammalian,Embryo Structures, Nonmammalian,Embryo, Non Mammalian,Embryonic Structure, Non-Mammalian,Embryonic Structure, Nonmammalian,Embryonic Structures, Non Mammalian,Embryos, Non-Mammalian,Embryos, Nonmammalian,Non-Mammalian Embryo,Non-Mammalian Embryonic Structure,Non-Mammalian Embryonic Structures,Non-Mammalian Embryos,Nonmammalian Embryo Structure,Nonmammalian Embryonic Structure,Nonmammalian Embryos,Structure, Non-Mammalian Embryonic,Structure, Nonmammalian Embryo,Structure, Nonmammalian Embryonic,Structures, Non-Mammalian Embryonic,Structures, Nonmammalian Embryo,Structures, Nonmammalian Embryonic
D005260	Female		Females
D000014	Abnormalities, Drug-Induced	Congenital abnormalities caused by medicinal substances or drugs of abuse given to or taken by the mother, or to which she is inadvertently exposed during the manufacture of such substances. The concept excludes abnormalities resulting from exposure to non-medicinal chemicals in the environment.	Drug-Induced Abnormalities,Abnormalities, Drug Induced,Abnormality, Drug-Induced,Drug Induced Abnormalities,Drug-Induced Abnormality
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000998	Antiviral Agents	Agents used in the prophylaxis or therapy of VIRUS DISEASES. Some of the ways they may act include preventing viral replication by inhibiting viral DNA polymerase; binding to specific cell-surface receptors and inhibiting viral penetration or uncoating; inhibiting viral protein synthesis; or blocking late stages of virus assembly.	Antiviral,Antiviral Agent,Antiviral Drug,Antivirals,Antiviral Drugs,Agent, Antiviral,Agents, Antiviral,Drug, Antiviral,Drugs, Antiviral