Effects of inhibitors of the synthesis of catecholamines and spiperone on sea urchin and murine embryos

Abstract

We studied the effects of three inhibitors of catecholamine synthesis on the development of sea urchinsSphaerechinus granularis andParacentrotus lividus. These drugs affected the early embryogenesis, which was expressed in inhibition of the cleavage divisions, appearance of abnormal embryos, and developmental arrest. The addition of arachidonic acid amide and dopamine to the incubation medium weakened the effects of the inhibitors. Spiperone induced developmental defects in preimplantation mouse embryos and sea urchin embryos. Arachidonic acid amide with dopamine exerted a protective effect against spiperone when introduced to sea urchin embryos at the blastula or late gastrula stages, rather than after fertilization. In murine embryos, this amide induced developmental defects and arrest itself, and its effect was reversible. Possible mechanisms underlying the effects of these drugs are discussed.