title: Fetal alcohol syndrome: cardiac birth defects in mice and prevention with folate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alcohol (ethanol) consumption during pregnancy is linked to congenital heart defects that are associated with fetal alcohol syndrome. Recent reports have associated ethanol exposure with the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Therefore, we defined whether ethanol affects Wnt/beta-catenin signaling during cardiac cell specification.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant mice on embryonic day 6.75 during gastrulation were exposed by an intraperitoneal injection to a binge-drinking dose of ethanol. Folic acid supplementation of mouse diet was tested for the prevention of ethanol-induced cardiac birth defects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute ethanol exposure induced myocardial wall changes and atrioventricular and semilunar valve defects, which was determined by echocardiography on embryonic day 15.5. A high folate diet prevented the ethanol-induced cardiac defects. Ethanol exposure in avian embryos suppressed 2 key Wnt-modulated genes that are involved in cardiac induction; folic acid rescued normal gene expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Folic acid supplementation alone or with myoinositol prevented alcohol potentiation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling that allowed normal gene activation and cardiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Residency Program, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Mingda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brinez
authors.forename: Kersti K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Linask
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D000431:Ethanol; D005492:Folic Acid