title: Long-term effects of prenatal 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) exposure on intermale aggressive behaviour of mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  AZT treatment of seropositive pregnant women and their neonates has been widely used due to its effectiveness in reducing vertical transmission of HIV, but medium- and long-term effects of AZT on neurobehavioural development and adult responding are still poorly described.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term effects of prenatal AZT treatment on aggressive behaviour of adult male mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant CD-1 mice were given saline vehicle, 0.4, or 0.8 mg/ml AZT in their drinking water from gestation day 10 to delivery. Social-aggressive types of interaction were assessed in their male offspring following a 4-week isolation period. Two groups of subjects were used, each undergoing a different type of test: test 1 consisted of a single 20-min encounter with an isolated same-strain opponent on postnatal day (PND) 90, while in test 2 (PND 150) subjects were paired for 10 min for 5 consecutive days with a non-isolated opponent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Slight changes in both aggressive and defensive components of the male-specific agonistic pattern were evident only in test 1, AZT mice displaying a limited increase of aggressive behaviour compared to their controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the long-term effects of prenatal AZT on social behaviour are limited, they may be of some relevance for paediatricians in order to plan a follow-up of infants, children and adolescents exposed in utero to antiretroviral drugs.
authors.affiliation: Section of Behavioural Pathophysiology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rondinini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Venerosi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Branchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calamandrei
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alleva
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015215:Zidovudine