Toxicity of ecstasy (MDMA) towards embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac and neural cells.
"Ecstasy" or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is primarily a recreational drug commonly used during the child bearing period, thus, there is a major concern regarding the embryonic and fetal toxicity of this drug. Here, we report the cardio- and neuro-toxic effects of MDMA on beating embryoid bodies (EBs) and neural cell-containing EBs derived from mouse embryonic stem cell (ESCs). Based on our linear discriminate function, MDMA is considered to be a moderate or weak teratogen. Moreover, the generation of EBs with neural cell morphology and the expression of MAP2, a mature neuron marker, decrease more when MDMA is administered during the EB formation stage rather than post-plated EBs. In addition, the ID50 (inhibition of differentiation) of EBs with neural cell morphology is less than cardiac cells. In conclusion, MDMA causes a marked reduction in beating cardiomyocytes and neurons in ESC cultures, and this drug has a more potent toxicity on neural rather than cardiac cell differentiation.
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Royan Institute for Animal Biotechnology, P.O. Box 815896-8433, Esfahan, Iran.
Rokhsareh
R
Meamar
Fereshteh
F
Karamali
Hamid Mirmohamad
HM
Sadeghi
Mahmood
M
Etebari
Mohammad Hossein
MH
Nasr-Esfahani
Hossein
H
Baharvand
D000818:Animals; D054715:Cardiotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects*; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D018675:Toxicity Tests
D054715:Cardiotoxins; D006213:Hallucinogens; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D009498:Neurotoxins; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine