title: Transplacental transfer of melamine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize transplacental transfer of melamine and related mechanisms as well as toxicity using human placental perfusion and cultured cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transfer and toxicity were analyzed in 4-h perfusions with 10 μM or 1 mM melamine, or 10 μM melamine with 10 nM cyanuric acid (CYA). Efflux transporters were studied in accumulation assay and toxicity in BeWo cells by MTT assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of added melamine 34-45% was transferred to fetal circulation and CYA made no difference. Histology, hCG production, and PLAP activity indicated functionality of placental tissue with no grave toxicity. Highest concentration of melamine used (2 mM) with CYA and long treatment time decreased viability of BeWo cells. Inhibitors of ABCB1, ABCG2, ABCC2 did not affect the accumulation of melamine in cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melamine goes through human term placenta with no contribution of efflux transporters. Toxicity of melamine is low in placental tissue and BeWo cells.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy/Toxicology, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Partanen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vähäkangas
authors.forename: C S J
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Auriola
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Veid
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Myllynen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El Nezami
mesh_terms: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D000089762:Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 2; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D014227:Triazines / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators; D000089762:Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 2; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D012117:Resins, Synthetic; D014227:Triazines; C513055:ABCB1 protein, human; C000715087:ABCC2 protein, human; C116614:ABCG2 protein, human; C004632:cyanuric acid; C011907:melamine