Fetal alcohol effects: evidence of developmental impairment in the absence of immunotoxicity

Pregnant CD-1 mice were intubated from Days 5-17 of gestation with an isocaloric solution of ethanol and/or maltose dextrins in 10% Bio-Serv liquid diet, at doses of 0, 6, and 9 g/kg/day. The control females were food-restricted so that their food consumption matched that of the high-dose females. At delivery, the pups were assigned surrogate mothers and litters were culled to a uniform litter size, when possible. Immediately following birth some pups were examined using a battery of behavioral/developmental tests to monitor postnatal development. At 6-8 weeks of age, other pups were evaluated for changes in immune function. Another group of pups was terminated at 12 weeks of age for hematology and clinical chemistry determinations and histological examination of selected organs. Postnatal developmental delays were seen in pinna detachment, surface righting reflex, eye opening, and incisor eruption. There was no characteristic pattern to immune alterations of the plaque forming cell response to a T-dependent antigen sheep red blood cells, delayed hypersensitivity, and T- and B-lymphocyte blastogenesis. Possible kidney pathology was indicated by a reduction in blood urea nitrogen in the offspring of females treated with 9 g/kg/day. No treatment-related effects were noted in those tissues which were examined histologically.