title: Protection from ethanol-induced limb malformations by the superoxide dismutase/catalase mimetic, EUK-134.
abstract: Based on previous in vitro studies that have illustrated prevention of ethanol-induced cell death by antioxidants, using an in vivo model, we have tested the anti-teratogenic potential of a potent synthetic superoxide dismutase plus catalase mimetic, EUK-134. The developing limb of C57BL/6J mice, which is sensitive to ethanol-induced reduction defects, served as the model system. On their ninth day of pregnancy, C57BL/6J mice were administered ethanol (two intraperitoneal doses of 2.9 g/kg given 4 h apart) alone or in combination with EUK-134 (two doses of 10 mg/kg). Pregnant control mice were similarly treated with either vehicle or EUK-134, alone. Within 15 h of the initial ethanol exposure, excessive apoptotic cell death was observed in the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) of the newly forming forelimb buds. Forelimb defects, including postaxial ectrodactyly, metacarpal, and ulnar deficiencies, occurred in 67.3% of the ethanol-exposed fetuses that were examined at 18 days of gestation. The right forelimbs were preferentially affected. No limb malformations were observed in control fetuses. Cell death in the AER of embryos concurrently exposed to ethanol and EUK-134 was notably reduced compared with that in embryos from ethanol-treated dams. Additionally, the antioxidant treatment reduced the incidence of forelimb malformations to 35.9%. This work illustrates that antioxidants can significantly improve the adverse developmental outcome that results from ethanol exposure in utero, diminishing the incidence and severity of major malformations that result from exposure to this important human teratogen.
authors.affiliation: Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7178, USA. syc@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: Shao-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Deborah B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Dehart
authors.forename: Kathleen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sulik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002374:Catalase; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology; D005327:Fetal Resorption / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D005552:Forelimb / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects; D017880:Limb Deformities, Congenital / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000196:embryology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy; D012459:Salicylates / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014034:Toes / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D014457:Ulna / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; C433928:EUK-134; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012459:Salicylates; D000431:Ethanol; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase