Relationship of dietary zinc to 6-mercaptopurine teratogenesis and DNA metabolism in the rat.
The possible interaction between the level of maternal dietary zinc and the teratogenic activity of 6-mercaptopurine was investigated. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 9,100 or 1,000 ppm zinc from day zero of pregnancy and were given a single intraperitoneal injection of 6-MP (55mg/kg) on day 11. At term, females in the group fed 1,000 ppm zinc (a high intake) showed less pronounced effects on reproduction and embryogenesis than did those fed 9 ppm (marginally deficient)  or 100 ppm (normal) zinc. Embryos examined on day 12 of gestation had similar concentrations of protein and RNA; however, the DNA content was lower and the incorporation of 3H-thymidine was greater in the drug treated groups than in non-drug treated controls. These results indicate that 6-mercaptopurine is acting to alter embryonic DNA metabolism and that high levesl of dietary zinc may ameliorate some of the deleterious effects of this drug on embryonic and maternal toxicity.
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012098:Reproduction; D013723:Teratogens; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology
D011506:Proteins; D013723:Teratogens; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D015032:Zinc