Correlation between mandibular retrognathia and induction of cleft palate with 6-aminonicotinamide in the rat

A single injection of the niacin antimetabolite 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) late in gestation produces cleft palate in the rat. In order to achieve an understanding of the mechanism of induction of cleft palate, craniofacial growth and palate development were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats after treatment with 6-AN on day 15 of gestation. The rats were maintained on a high niacin diet (95 ppm) and subjected to three different teratogenic levels of 6-AN. The first group was injected with 8 mg/kg, the second was fasted and injected with 8 mg/kg and the third was treated with 16 mg/kg. The lowest teratogenic dose, 8 mg/kg, produced mild mandibular retrognathia on day 16, delayed shelf elevation a few hours and resulted in small rostral and small caudal clefts of the secondary palate. The moderate dose, 8 mg/kg with fasting, produced more severe mandibular retrognathia, delayed shelf elevation about 24 hours and resulted in 37% full clefts and 63% partial clefts of the palate. The highest teratogenic dose, 16 mg/kg, produced severe mandibular retrognathia, delayed shelf elevation by more than 24 hours and resulted in 100% full clefts of the palate. In each 6-AN group, the most severe mandibular retrognathia was present between days 16 and 17, the critical time for palate closure in the rat. Treatment with 6-AN also produced abnormality of the epithelial cells of the palate, the toothbuds and the nasal septum. Molar and incisor toothbuds were small and malformed, and the epithelial surfaces of the palate and the soft tissue nasal septum did not fuse.