Embryotoxic action of beta-aminopropionitrile during early organogenesis in rats.

Abstract

The lathyrogen β-aminopropionitrile (β-APN) has been shown to be teratogenic in rats after administration to the dam at the late organogenesis stage of gestation, commonly inducing cleft palate and a variety of skeletal malformations in fetuses (Wilk et al. 1972; Barrow and Steffek 1974). Unusually among teratogens, however, β-APN has been reported not to affect embryos during the early organogenesis stage of development, when sensitivity to teratogenic insult is often maximal (Barrow and Steffek 1974). This observation is in contrast to that made in the hamster, in which administration of β-APN to the dam during early organogenesis resulted in the induction of neural tube defects (Wiley and Joneja 1976). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated (Steele and Marlow 1985; Simpson et al. 1986) that the cultured early organogenesis stage rat embryo is susceptible to dysmorphogenesis when β-APN is present in the culture medium.