title: In vitro embryotoxicity of petroleum creosote monitored via mouse preimplantation embryo culture.
abstract: A mouse preimplantation embryo culture system was utilized to characterize the in vitro embryotoxicity of petroleum creosote (PC), a complex mixture of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. ICR mouse embryos, collected on d 3.5 of gestation (blastocyst stage), were exposed for 1 h to varying concentrations of petroleum creosote in serum-supplemented culture medium. Parallel embryo cultures were exposed to PC in medium supplemented with rodent hepatic S9 microsomal fractions to monitor the role of bioactivation in PC-induced embryotoxicity. Embryos were subsequently cultured in control medium for 72 h and observed for viability as well as specific, time-dependent developmental end points--hatching and attachment to the culture dish at 48 h, and trophoblastic outgrowth with a distinct inner cell mass at 72 h. Embryonic viability varied in inverse proportion to PC concentration. Petroleum creosote caused embryolethal effects at concentrations of 33 micrograms/ml of culture medium and 54 micrograms/ml. Embryotoxicity was not observed at 22 micrograms/ml. Culture supplementation with rodent hepatic S9 fractions did not modify, either qualitatively or quantitatively, the embryotoxicity of PC in vitro. These findings implicate PC as a prenatal toxicant and support environmental and human health concerns regarding PC exposure from PC-containing chemical waste sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Station.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iyer
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Irvin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects*; D003407:Creosote / Q000633:toxicity*; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D003407:Creosote