title: Meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) affects maternal and fetal copper metabolism in Swiss mice.
abstract: Meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is a chelating agent used to treat heavy metal intoxication. DMSA has been reported to be teratogenic in the mouse, and it has been suggested that this teratogenicity may be secondary to DMSA-induced alterations in Zn metabolism. In the present study, 0, 400 or 800 mg DMSA/kg body weight were administered on gestation days 6-15 to pregnant Swiss mice by gavage (PO) or subcutaneous injection (SC). Mice were fed a diet containing 14 micrograms Zn, 10 micrograms Cu, 120 micrograms Fe, 1175 micrograms Mg and 6.8 mg Ca/g diet. A sub-group of mice in the 800 mg DMSA/kg SC group was fed a diet containing 250 micrograms Zn/g. DMSA administration did not result in overt maternal toxicity. There was no effect of the drug on fetal or placental weight, or on crown-rump length. However, some fetuses from DMSA-treated dams were characterized by skeletal abnormalities including supernumerary ribs, unossified anterior phalanges and malformed sternebrae. Drug exposure was not associated with consistent changes in tissue Zn, Fe, Ca or Mg levels. Supplemental Zn had no marked effects on the fetus. Fetal liver Cu concentrations exhibited dose-dependent decreases with increasing DMSA dose. This finding suggests that the developmental toxicity of DMSA may be mediated through disturbed maternal/fetal copper metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Taubeneck
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Domingo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Llobet
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Keen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D004113:Succimer / Q000633:toxicity*; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D003300:Copper; D004113:Succimer; D015032:Zinc