TY - JOUR
T1 - A new mammalian model system for thalidomide teratogenesis
T2 - Monodelphis domestica
AU - Sorensen, Daniel
AU - Sackett, Amanda
AU - Urban, Daniel J.
AU - Maier, Jennifer
AU - Vargesson, Neil
AU - Sears, Karen E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2017/6
Y1 - 2017/6
N2 - From 1957 to 1962, thalidomide caused birth defects in >10,000 children. While the drug was pulled from the market, thalidomide is currently prescribed to treat conditions including leprosy. As a result, a new generation of babies with thalidomide defects is being born in the developing world. This represents a serious problem, as the mechanisms by which thalidomide disrupts development remain unresolved. This lack of resolution is due, in part, to the absence of an appropriate mammalian model for thalidomide teratogenesis. We test the hypothesis that opossum (Monodelphis domestica) is well suited to model human thalidomide defects. Results suggest that opossum embryos exposed to thalidomide display a range of phenotypes (e.g., heart, craniofacial, limb defects) and penetrance similar to humans. Furthermore, all opossums with thalidomide defects exhibit vascular disruptions. Results therefore support the hypotheses that opossums make a good mammalian model for thalidomide teratogenesis, and that thalidomide can severely disrupt angiogenesis in mammals.
AB - From 1957 to 1962, thalidomide caused birth defects in >10,000 children. While the drug was pulled from the market, thalidomide is currently prescribed to treat conditions including leprosy. As a result, a new generation of babies with thalidomide defects is being born in the developing world. This represents a serious problem, as the mechanisms by which thalidomide disrupts development remain unresolved. This lack of resolution is due, in part, to the absence of an appropriate mammalian model for thalidomide teratogenesis. We test the hypothesis that opossum (Monodelphis domestica) is well suited to model human thalidomide defects. Results suggest that opossum embryos exposed to thalidomide display a range of phenotypes (e.g., heart, craniofacial, limb defects) and penetrance similar to humans. Furthermore, all opossums with thalidomide defects exhibit vascular disruptions. Results therefore support the hypotheses that opossums make a good mammalian model for thalidomide teratogenesis, and that thalidomide can severely disrupt angiogenesis in mammals.
KW - Angiogenesis
KW - Congenital birth defects
KW - Limb
KW - Teratogen
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011045365&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85011045365&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.01.010
DO - 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.01.010
M3 - Article
C2 - 28130151
AN - SCOPUS:85011045365
SN - 0890-6238
VL - 70
SP - 126
EP - 132
JO - Reproductive Toxicology
JF - Reproductive Toxicology
ER -