title: Repeated administration of diphenyl diselenide to pregnant rats induces adverse effects on embryonic/fetal development.
abstract: The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of diphenyl diselenide, (PhSe)(2), on embryo-fetal development. Dams were treated subcutaneously with 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mg/kg (PhSe)(2) from days 6 to 15 of pregnancy. After cesarean section at gestation day (GD) 20, external and skeletal abnormalities were evaluated. A decrease in maternal body weight gain was found in (PhSe)(2) groups, indicating maternal toxicity. There was a reduction in the fetal weight and in crown-rump (CR) length of fetuses at three doses tested. The occipito-nasal length decreased in fetuses from dams exposed to 3.0 mg/kg (PhSe)(2). Signs of delayed ossification in the skull, sternebrae and limbs were observed in all (PhSe)(2) groups, revealing a relation between morphological alterations and growth retardation in fetuses, but none of the changes appeared to be dose-dependent. Exposure of dams to (PhSe)(2) resulted in altered placental morphology that may have contributed to adverse reproductive outcomes. We concluded that (PhSe)(2) is toxic to dams and induces developmental delay of the fetal skeleton, but does not cause externally visible malformations in rat fetuses, in this experimental procedure.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Quimica, Centro de Ciencias Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, SM, RS, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Weis
authors.forename: Alexandre M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Favero
authors.forename: Eluza C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Stangherlin
authors.forename: Flavia G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Manarin
authors.forename: Joao B T
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Cristina W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Gilson
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeni
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; D000818:Animals; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000633:toxicity*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects; D018568:Crown-Rump Length; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation; D020567:Fetal Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013723:Teratogens / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D013723:Teratogens; C061132:diphenyldiselenide