Etiology of retinoic acid-induced cleft palate varies with the embryonic stage

Retinoic acid (RA) has been shown to be teratogenic in many species, and 13-cis-RA is teratogenic in humans. Exposure to RA during embryonic morphogenesis produced a variety of malformations including limb defects and cleft palate. The type and severity of malformation depended on the stage of development exposed. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of RA exposure in vivo on different stages of palate development. These results were compared to effects observed after exposure in organ culture. The vehicle used in RA dosing was also shown to be a major factor in the incidence of RA-induced cleft palate. For the in vivo studies, RA (100 mg/kg) in 10 ml corn oil/kg was given p.o. on gestation day (GD) 10 or 12, and the embryos were examined on GD 14 and 16. Exposure to RA in an oil:DMSO vehicle resulted in much higher incidences of cleft palate than were observed after dosing with RA in oil only. After exposure on GD 10, to RA, small palatal shelves formed which did not make contact and fuse on GD 14. The medial cells did not undergo programmed cell death. Instead, the medial cells differentiated into a stratified, squamous, oral-like epithelium. The RA-exposed medial cells did not incorporate 3H-TdR on GD 14 or 16, but the cells expressed EGF receptors and bound 125I-EGF. In contrast, RA-induced clefting after exposure on GD 12 did not involve growth inhibition. Shelves of normal size formed and made contact, but because of altered medial cell differentiation did not fuse. Medial cells differentiated into a pseudostratified, ciliated, nasal-like epithelium. This response was produced in vivo at exposure levels which produced cleft palate, and after exposure of palatal shelves to RA in vitro from GD 12-15. The medial cells exposed on GD 12 incorporated 3H-TdR on GD 14, expressed EGF receptors, and bound 125I-EGF. The responses to RA which lead to cleft palate differed after exposure on GD 10 or 12, and the pathways of differentiation which the medial cells followed depended on the developmental stage exposed.