Evaluation of the maternal and developmental toxicity of 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside in rats

Abstract

Thiopurine prodrugs (azathioprine, AZA, and 6-mercaptopurine, 6MP) are embryotoxic to rodents and rabbits. Little is known about the developmental toxicity of 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside (6MMPr), a thiopurine drug metabolite that is thought to mediate its liver toxicity. A limb bud assay found that 6MMPr impairs the in vitro morphogenetic differentiation of mouse limb extremities, being more potent than 6MP in the assay. This study evaluated the embryotoxicity of 6MMPr (0, 7.5, 15, 30 mg/kg bw sc) in rats after single-dose exposure in mid organogenesis (GD10). One group of pregnant rats was similarly treated with 6MP (15 mg/kg bw sc). After C-section (GD21), fetuses were weighed, and examined for external abnormalities. One third of each litter was examined for soft-tissue abnormalities while the remaining fetuses were cleared and stained for skeleton evaluation. 6MMPr caused a dose-dependent maternal weight loss followed by recovery before term pregnancy. Except for a nonsignificant increase in embryolethality and slight reduction in fetal weight at 30 mg/kg bw, no indication of embryotoxicity was noted at this dose or at lower doses of 6MMPr. In contrast, 6MP led to nearly 98 % of post-implantation losses in the presence of slight-to-mild maternal toxicity. These results are consistent with the notion that maternal treatment with 6MMPr affects embryo development, causing a nonsignificant increase in embryolethality and a slight reduction in fetal weight at 30 mg/kg bw. However, there was no increase in abnormalities at this dose, which was severely toxic to the dams, as reflected in the maternal weight gain data.