title: Teratogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus L-forms using a mouse whole-embryo culture model.
abstract: Our previous studies have suggested that Staphylococcus aureus L-forms are able to pass through the placental barrier of mice from the maternal side to the fetal body and affect fetal growth and development, but little is known about the direct influence of S. aureus L-forms on embryos during the critical period of organogenesis. Mouse embryos at gestational day 8.5 were cultured in vitro for 48 h with 0, 50, 100, 200 or 400 c.f.u. S. aureus L-forms ml(-1). At the end of the culture period, the mouse embryos were assessed morphologically for viability, growth and development. Bacteriological and immunohistochemical staining were used to determine the existence of S. aureus L-forms in embryonic tissues. We found that both crown-rump length and head length of mouse embryos exposed to S. aureus L-forms at a concentration of 50 c.f.u. ml(-1) were reduced. When the mouse embryos were exposed to 100, 200 or 400 c.f.u. S. aureus L-forms ml(-1), the total morphological score, number of somites, dry embryo weight, yolk sac diameter, crown-rump length and head length were significantly lower than those of the control group. With the increased concentration of S. aureus L-forms in the culture medium, there were fewer normally developed embryos and more embryos with abnormalities or retardation in growth. S. aureus L-forms detected by Gram-staining and immunohistochemical detection of antigen were found in the tissues of embryos infected by S. aureus L-forms. These data suggest that S. aureus L-forms exert a direct teratogenic effect on cultured mouse embryos in vitro.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.|Anhui Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Xiang
authors: X
authors: Zhu
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Feng-Ling
authors: FL
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Xiao-Ming
authors: XM
authors: Kong
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Na
authors: N
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Cong-Sen
authors: CS
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.|Anhui Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Ting-Ting
authors: TT
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Microbiology, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.|Anhui Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, PR China.
authors: Jun-Chang
authors: JC
authors: Guan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000382:microbiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity*