Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

A Screen for Disruptors of the Retinol (Vitamin A) Signaling Pathway
The pathway through which retinol (vitamin A) is converted to its active metabolite, all‐trans‐retinoic acid (atRA), and subsequent receptor‐mediated regulation of gene transcription by atRA is essential for all mammal life stages. This pathway is required for normal embryonic development and maintenance of cellular phenotype in adult organisms; chemicals that cause even minor interference with its normal function are potential developmental and adult toxicants. A short‐term (24 h) in vitro mode‐of‐action screen for detecting chemicals that disrupt this essential pathway is described. It uses the mouse pluripot...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - May 21, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Yanling Chen, David H. Reese Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Epoxiconazole‐Induced Degeneration in Rat Placenta and the Effects of Estradiol Supplementation
Epoxiconazole (CAS‐No. 133855‐98‐8) was recently shown to cause both a marked depletion of maternal estradiol blood levels and a significantly increased incidence of late fetal mortality when administered to pregnant rats throughout gestation (GD 7–18 or 21); estradiol supplementation prevented this epoxiconazole effect in rats (Stinchcombe et al., 2013), indicating that epoxiconazole‐mediated estradiol depletion is a critical key event for induction of late fetal resorptions in rats. For further elucidation of the mode of action, the placentas from these modified prenatal developmental toxicity experiments with ...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - April 29, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Maria Cecilia Rey Moreno, Karma C. Fussell, Sibylle Gröters, Steffen Schneider, Volker Strauss, Stefan Stinchcombe, Ivana Fegert, Mariana Veras, Bennard Ravenzwaay Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Potential Teratogenicity of Methimazole: Exposure of Zebrafish Embryos to Methimazole Causes Similar Developmental Anomalies to Human Methimazole Embryopathy
While methimazole (MMI) is widely used in the therapy for hyperthyroidism, several groups have reported that maternal exposure to MMI results in a variety of congenital anomalies, including choanal and esophageal atresia, iridic and retinal coloboma, and delayed neurodevelopment. Thus, adverse effects of maternal exposure to MMI on fetal development have long been suggested; however, direct evidence for the teratogenicity of MMI has not been presented. Therefore, we studied the effects of MMI on early development by using zebrafish as a model organism. The fertilized eggs of zebrafish were collected immediately after spawn...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - April 29, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Yuta Komoike, Masato Matsuoka, Kenjiro Kosaki Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Effects of Estrogen Coadministration on Epoxiconazole Toxicity in Rats
Epoxiconazole (EPX; CAS‐No. 133855‐98‐8) is a triazole class–active substance of plant protection products. At a dose level of 50 mg/kg bw/day, it causes a significantly increased incidence of late fetal mortality when administered to pregnant rats throughout gestation (gestation day [GD] 7–18 or 21), as reported previously (Taxvig et al., 2007, 2008) and confirmed in these studies. Late fetal resorptions occurred in the presence of significant maternal toxicity such as clear reduction of corrected body weight gain, signs of anemia, and, critically, a marked reduction of maternal estradiol plasma levels. Further...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - April 1, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Stefan Stinchcombe, Steffen Schneider, Ivana Fegert, Maria Cecilia Rey Moreno, Volker Strauss, Sibylle Gröters, Eric Fabian, Karma C. Fussell, Geoffrey H. Pigott, Bennard Ravenzwaay Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Ethanol Alters Proliferation and Differentiation of Normal and Chromosomally Abnormal Human Embryonic Stem Cell‐Derived Neurospheres
Ethanol is a powerful substance and, when consumed during pregnancy, has significant psychoactive and developmental effects on the developing fetus. These abnormalities include growth retardation, neurological deficits, and behavioral and cognitive deficiencies, commonly referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The effect of ethanol has been reported to affect cellular development on the embryonic level, however, not much is known about mutations contributing to the influence of ethanol. The purpose of our study was to determine if mutation contribute to changes in differentiation patterning, cell‐cycle regulatory...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - April 1, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Malini Krishnamoorthy, Brian A. Gerwe, Christopher D. Scharer, Vanita Sahasranaman, Carmen D. Eilertson, Rachel J. Nash, Sümeyra Naz Usta, Shasmine Kelly, Matthew Rose, Rene Peraza, Jagan Arumugham, Bethany Stewart, Steven L. Stice, Rodney J. Nash Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Species Differences in Developmental Toxicity of Epoxiconazole and Its Relevance to Humans
Epoxiconazole, a triazole‐based fungicide, was tested in toxicokinetic, prenatal and pre‐postnatal toxicity studies in guinea pigs, following oral (gavage) administration at several dose levels (high dose: 90 mg/kg body weight per day). Maternal toxicity was evidenced by slightly increased abortion rates and by histopathological changes in adrenal glands, suggesting maternal stress. No compound‐related increase in the incidence of malformations or variations was observed in the prenatal study. In the pre‐postnatal study, epoxiconazole did not adversely affect gestation length, parturition, or postnatal growth and ...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - April 1, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Steffen Schneider, Thomas Hofmann, Stefan Stinchcombe, Maria Cecilia Rey Moreno, Ivana Fegert, Volker Strauss, Sibylle Gröters, Eric Fabian, Jutta Thiaener, Karma C. Fussell, Bennard Ravenzwaay Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

A Review of Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity of CS2 and H2S Generated by the Pesticide Sodium Tetrathiocarbonate
CONCLUSIONSThe database for CS2 indicates a strong potential for developmental neurotoxicity in animals at low doses but it is lacking in acceptable, well‐performed studies. There is also a lack of studies performed with CS2 and H2S as a mixture. (Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology)
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - April 1, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Marilyn Silva Tags: Review Article Source Type: research

The Effects of Interleukin‐6 Signal Blockade on Immune System, Reproductive and Skeletal Development in Juvenile Mice
Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) is involved in the pathogenesis of multiple disorders, including juvenile autoimmune diseases. IL‐6 participates in a broad spectrum of physiological events, and the IL‐6 receptor (IL‐6R) is widely distributed across multiple organs. The interrelationship of development phases in juveniles together with organs involved in IL‐6 signaling called for evaluations of anti–IL‐6R antibody induced effects in a juvenile mouse model to assess the safety of such an approach in human juvenile arthritis. Here we show that naive mice in which IL‐6 signals have been transiently blocked during the ju...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - March 25, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Takayuki Sakurai, Ryo Takai, Heinrich Bürgin, Akifumi Shioda, Yuichiro Sakamoto, Jun Amano, Hans Peter Grimm, Wolfgang F. Richter, Yoshinobu Higuchi, Shuichi Chiba, Akinori Kawamura, Masami Suzuki, Lutz Müller Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

The Effects of Shipping on Early Pregnancy in Laboratory Rats
This study examined the effects of shipping rats 1 day after mating. Two outbred stocks, (Crl:CD(SD), Crl:WI(Han)) and one inbred strain (F344/Crl) of rats (n = 300/strain) were mated in a vendor barrier room at 3‐month intervals five times, and either shipped the next day (total time in transit ∼24 hr) or held in the room of origin until parturition. The pregnancy status, length of gestation, number of pups born per female, sex ratio of pups born, and neonatal mortality were compared between transported and nontransported rats. These pregnancy and litter parameters were also compared among strains and examined for sea...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - March 21, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Kathleen R. Pritchett‐Corning, Charles B. Clifford, Michael F. W. Festing Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

The Teratogenic Effect of Dofetilide during Rat Limb Development and Association with Drug‐Induced Bradycardia and Hypoxia in the Embryo
CONCLUSIONSDrugs that induce periods of bradycardia and/or arrhythmia of the embryonic heart and cause the embryo to become hypoxic are potential human teratogens. (Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology)
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - March 15, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Helen E. Ritchie, Deena H. Ababneh, Diana J. Oakes, Carl A. Power, William S. Webster Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Neurotoxicity Assessment of Artemether in Juvenile Rats
CONCLUSIONSAs in the adult rat, oral administration of artemether in the juvenile rat is not associated with the neurotoxicity produced by intramuscular administration. (Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology)
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - March 11, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: David A. Beckman, Maureen Youreneff, Mark T. Butt Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Effect of PPARβ/δ Agonist on the Placentation and Embryo‐Fetal Development in Rats
CONCLUSIONSHigh frequency of placental malformation was observed by the administration of GW501516. From GD 8 to 11, especially GD 10, is more sensitive period to induce the placental malformation. (Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology)
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - March 4, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Kyohei Nishimura, Nao Nakano, Vishwajit Sur Chowdhury, Masako Kaneto, Mikinori Torii, Masa‐aki Hattori, Nobuhiko Yamauchi, Motoyuki Kawai Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Cancer Risks in Parents Who had a Child with a Congenital Malformation
We present all results on paper or online to provide clues for further research and to avoid publication bias. (Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology)
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - February 1, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Yuelian Sun, Kim Overvad, Wei Jin Zhou, Jin Liang Zhu, Jørn Olsen Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Summary of the HESI Consortium Studies Exploring Circulating Inhibin B as a Potential Biomarker of Testis Damage in the Rat
The Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity Technical Committee of the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute hosted a working consortium of companies to evaluate a new commercially available analytic assay for Inhibin B in rat serum or plasma. After demonstrating that the kit was stable and robust, the group performed a series of independent pathogenesis studies (23 different compound/investigator combinations) designed to examine the correlation between the appearance of lesions in the testis and changes in circulating levels of Inhibin B. These studies were reported individually in the previous articles in this ser...
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - January 30, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Robert Chapin, Gerhard Weinbauer, Michael S. Thibodeau, Manisha Sonee, Louise Parks Saldutti, William J. Reagan, David Potter, Jeffrey S. Moffit, Susan Laffan, James H. Kim, Richard A. Goldstein, Zoltan Erdos, Brian P. Enright, Michelle Coulson, William J Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Inhibin B Response to Testicular Toxicants Hexachlorophene, Ethane Dimethane Sulfonate, Di‐(n‐butyl)‐phthalate, Nitrofurazone, DL‐Ethionine, 17‐alpha Ethinylestradiol, 2,5‐Hexanedione, or Carbendazim Following Short‐Term Dosing in Male Rats
CONCLUSIONDecreases in Inhibin B correlated with Sertoli cell toxicity in the majority of studies evaluated, demonstrating the value of Inhibin B as a potential biomarker of testicular toxicity. There was no correlation between decreases in Inhibin B and interstitial cell degeneration. In addition, a pattern of Inhibin B secretion could not be identified over 24 hr. (Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology)
Source: Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology - January 24, 2013 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Zoltan Erdos, Kara Pearson, Michael Goedken, Karsten Menzel, Frank D. Sistare, Warren E. Glaab, Louise Parks Saldutti Tags: Original Article Source Type: research