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[Studies on the mechanisms of developmental toxicity of alcohol]
1Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
Objective:
To study the mechanisms of developmental toxicity in animals induced by ethyl alcohol.
Method:
Rat embryos of 9.5 days of gestation were exposed to different doses of ethyl alcohol in vitro. Postimplantation whole embryo culture and fluorescence polarization technique were used to investigate the effects of alcohol on embryo development and visceral yolk sac (VYS) membrane lipid fluidity.
Result:
400 mg alcoho/L caused no significant differences to embryo development, organ morphological scores, polarization (Pr value) and lipid fluidity unit (LFU), as compared with the non-alcohol treated controls. 1,000 mg alcohol/L led to the decrease of scores of brain, VYS circle, neurotube, head length and heart, as well as DNA and Pr value; whereas LFU values were increased significantly. Above 2,000 mg alcohol/L, all indexes were decreased except LFU of VYS cell membrane. Alcohol significantly elevated lipid fluidity of VYS cell membrane.
Conclusions:
Alcohol causes development toxicity and teratogenisis in rats. Brain and VYS are the targets of alcohol effect. Its development toxicity is related with lipid fluidity and the VYS membrane damage.