Biomaterial Database

Effects of maternal stress on methylmercury-induced developmental toxicity in mice. 1995

M T Colomina, and M L Albina, and J L Domingo, and J Corbella

Department of Psychology, Psychobiology Unit Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain.

The developmental toxicity of combined exposure to maternal restraint stress and methylmercury chloride (MMC) was assessed in Swiss mice. On day 10 of gestation, four groups of plug-positive female mice were treated (p.o.) with a single dose of 12.5 or 25 mg MMC/kg. Immediately after MMC exposure, two of those groups were subjected to restraint for 14 hr. Control groups included restrained and unrestrained pregnant mice nonexposed to MMC. Combined exposure to 25 mg MMC/kg and restraint enhanced MMC-induced maternal toxicity, which included deaths and decreased body weight gain and food consumption. The number of nonviable implants was also increased significantly following concurrent exposure to MMC (25 mg/kg) and restraint, with the percentage of postimplantation loss increased from 64% (MMC alone) to 100% (MMC plus restraint). However, the types and incidence of internal and skeletal anomalies observed after administration of 12.5 mg MMC/kg were not increased by maternal restraint. These results suggest that maternal stress would enhance the MMC-induced maternal and embryo/fetal toxicity at doses of MMC that are highly toxic to the dams, whereas at doses that are less acutely toxic the role of maternal stress would not be significant.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008767	Methylmercury Compounds	Organic compounds in which mercury is attached to a methyl group.	Methyl Mercury Compounds,Compounds, Methyl Mercury,Compounds, Methylmercury,Mercury Compounds, Methyl
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
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
D012149	Restraint, Physical	Use of a device for the purpose of controlling movement of all or part of the body. Splinting and casting are FRACTURE FIXATION.	Immobilization, Physical,Physical Restraint,Physical Immobilization,Physical Restraints,Restraints, Physical
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D005260	Female		Females
D005313	Fetal Death	Death of the developing young in utero. BIRTH of a dead FETUS is STILLBIRTH.	Fetal Mummification,Fetal Demise,Death, Fetal,Deaths, Fetal,Demise, Fetal,Fetal Deaths,Mummification, Fetal
D005327	Fetal Resorption	The disintegration and assimilation of the dead FETUS in the UTERUS at any stage after the completion of organogenesis which, in humans, is after the 9th week of GESTATION. It does not include embryo resorption (see EMBRYO LOSS).	Fetal Resorptions,Resorption, Fetal,Resorptions, Fetal
D005328	Fetal Viability	The potential of the FETUS to survive outside the UTERUS after birth, natural or induced. Fetal viability depends largely on the FETAL ORGAN MATURITY, and environmental conditions.	Viability, Fetal
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal