title: Arsenite exposure compromises early embryonic development in the Golden hamster.
abstract: The toxicity of arsenite to 8-cell stage hamster embryos was evaluated. Females were superovulated and mated; embryos were collected and grown for 72 h in culture medium containing vehicle control, 25, 50, 250, 500, or 750 nM arsenite. Morphological observations were taken at 0 and 24h increments. A TUNEL assay was used for determining DNA damage. Survival was expressed by the ability to undergo zona escape. The control group had 78% survival and no evidence of deformities. Embryos in the 25, 50 and 250 nM groups had survival rates of 63%, 55% and 27%, respectively. Arsenite exposure caused total embryo lethality, major deformities, complete failure to undergo zona lysis, and significantly higher number of cells with fragmented DNA in embryos at the 500 and 750 nM concentrations. The study underscores the sensitivity of preimplantation stage embryos to the presence of even relatively small amounts of arsenic in luminal fluid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Boulevard, Pueblo, CO 81001, USA.
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Unis
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: Moussa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Diawara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D018053:Arsenites / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008647:Mesocricetus; D011247:Pregnancy; D017670:Sodium Compounds / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D013723:Teratogens / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D017670:Sodium Compounds; D013723:Teratogens; C017947:sodium arsenite; D004247:DNA