• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 1995

Effect of cadmium on the early amphibian development was analyzed through FETAX (Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay: Xenopus). Embryos manifested concentration-dependent mortality and realformations; shortage of anterior-posterior axis gut realformation, ocular anomalies, bent notochord, misshapen dorsal fin, and derreal blisters. The treatment with 1.5ppm cadmium solution caused 100% mortality and concentration of lppm did not kill the embryos that caused 100% anomaly. The teratogenic index (TI = LC50 /EC50) was 2.8 indicating that $CdCl_2$ is teratogenic for Xenopus laevis. Embryos that were pulsetreated with at early to late blastula stage (St. 3-9) and mid to late blastula stage (St. 6-10) showed relatively strong resistance to cadmium, but the embryos treated at gastrula stage (St. 10-13) showed high mortality. And the embryos treated at tailbud stage (after St. 25) showed highest mortality of any other early stages. Effects of temperature were studied through pulse- treatment during gastrula stage at $20^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$. The embryos treated with 7.5ppm at $30^{\circ}C$ and 15ppm at $20^{\circ}C$ caused 100% mortality respectively, indicating that higher temperature had more severe toxic effect. One of the most peculiar effect of cadmium at gastrulation was distortion of the tail. The probable cause of toxic effect of Cd was discussed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.18 no.11
• /
• pp.1247-1259
• /
• 2009

We investigated the toxic effects of carbaryl on early embryo development in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. To test the toxic effects, frog embryo teratogenesis assays using Xenopus were performed. Embryos were exposed to various concentrations of carbaryl ($5{\sim}320\;{\mu}M$). $LC_{100}$ for carbaryl was $320\;{\mu}M$, and the $LC_{50}$ determined by probit analysis was the concentration of $235.68\;{\mu}M$. Exposure to $160\;{\mu}M$ of carbaryl resulted in 10 different types of severe external malformations. Histological examination revealed dysplasia of the eyes, heart, guts, somatic muscle, dorsal, liver, blood vessel and swelling of the pronephric ducts. Malformation of neural tissue and brain was not severe even in the high dose of carbaryl. Benzidine blood stain showed distinct inhibition of inducing erythrocytes in embryos and animal cap explants. Electron micrographs of embryo revealed retinal detachment, loose photoreceptor lamella and the degeneration of sarcomeres in the carbaryl-treated group. The mitochondrial degeneration was also observed in the test group.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.122-129
• /
• 1994

Teratogenic effects of diazinon were assessed morphologically and cholinergic blocking agents. Diazinon at doses ranging from 25 to 2000 ug /egg, was Injected on day 3 of incubation. TD50s were different for the various teratogenic signs (wry neck, micromelia, abnormal feathering, abnormal beak and curled claws). The threshould dose for wry neck was higher than threshould dose for other signs； 40 ug/egg produced substantial micromelia, abnormal feathering. abnormal beak and curled claws, but gave no signs of wry neck. In contrast to the teratogenic doses, the LD50 of diazinon was very high (above 2000 ug /egg). One of the characteristics of diazinon-induced teratogenesis was reduced body weight (78.7％) and body length (73.8%). Maximal teratogenic effects, scored as signs of retarded growth, wry neck micromelia, abnormal feathering, abnormal beak, and curled claws, were produced when the insectcide was administered on the third or fourth day. The threshold dose for type II teratogenic signs(such as wry neck and short neck) was higher than for type I (such as micromelia and abnormal feathering). Morphological studies, using atropine and gallamine, suggested that nicotine but not muscarinic receptors may be involved in the mechanism of diazinon induced type II malformations.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 2009

Among the toxicants in the environment dioxin-like compounds, including TCDD(2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin), are well known as carcinogen and teratogen. TCDD the most toxic of these compounds, may result in a wide variety of adverse health effects in humans and environment, including carconogenesis, hepatotoxicity, teratogenesis, and immunotoxicity. Also TCDD increases superoxide, peroxide radicals and induces oxidative stress that leads to breakage of DNA single-strand and mitochondrial dysfunction. Recently, there have been reports that persistent organic pollutants(POPs) may be causing metabolic disease through mitochondrial toxicity. In order to examine if dioxin brings about toxicity on mitochondria directly, we measured the change of the mitochondrial membrane potential after exposure to TCDD using JC-1 dye. After short time exposure of dioxin, mitochondrial depolarization was observed but it recovered to the control level immediately. This TCDD effect on mitochondrial membrane potential was not correlated either to the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS) or extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ by TCDD. Less than 2 hours exposure of TCDD did not show any change in ROS production but 0.25 nM TCDD for 48 hours or 0.5 nM TCDD for 12 hours exposure did increase in ROS production. Under these conditions of ROS production by TCDD, no changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential by TCDD was observed.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.347-356
• /
• 2001

Guarana, a tropical plant is found in powdered for in health food and is very popular soft drink in Brazil as an energy feaster with its high caffeine contents. We examined its radioprotection effects during organogenesis stages of ICR mice by malformations rate and cellular lead 8 the embryo by radiation and analyzed the mechanism of the radioprotection effects in the fetal of ICR mice. The results of this study showed that Guarana reduced clearly the embryonic death rate and teratogenesis rate by radiation. Its radioprotection effect inject be related with its radioprotection effect might be related with its antioxidant effect or free radical scavenger. We need to exposure the Guarana as a potential radioprotection agent. Therefore, we investigated about radiation effects by Guarana using to mice experiments in this paper.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.20 no.10
• /
• pp.1221-1232
• /
• 2011

We investigated the toxic effects of difenoconazole on the development in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. To test the toxic effects, frog embryo teratogenesis assays using Xenopus were performed. Embryos were exposed to various concentrations of difenoconazole (0-30 ${\mu}M$). $LC_{100}$ for difenoconazole was 30 ${\mu}M$, and the $LC_{50}$ determined by probit analysis was 27.19 ${\mu}M$. Exposure to difenoconazole concentrations ${\geq}$5 ${\mu}M$ resulted in 10 different types of severe external malformation. Histological examinations revealed dysplasia of the eye, heart, liver, somatic muscle, and swelling of the pronephric ducts. The tissue-specific toxic effects were investigated with an animal cap assay. Blood cells were normally induced at a high frequency by mSCF and activin A. However, the induction of blood cells was strongly inhibited by the addition of difenoconazole. Electron micrographs of tested embryos showed the degeneration of somatic muscle and the shrinkage of microvilli on pronephric duct. The gene expression of cultivated animal cap explants was investigated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). It revealed that the expression of the blood-specific marker(${\beta}$-globin II) and muscle-specific marker (XMA) were more strongly inhibited than the neural-specific marker(XEn2) by the addition of difenoconazole.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.19 no.8
• /
• pp.1001-1012
• /
• 2010

We investigated the toxic effects of tebuconazole on development in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. To test the toxic effects, frog embryo teratogenesis assays using Xenopus were performed. Embryos were exposed to various concentrations of tebuconazole($0-100\;{\mu}M$). $LC_{100}$ for tebuconazole was $100\;{\mu}M$, and the $LC_{50}$ determined by probit analysis was $82.35\;{\mu}M$. The exposure to tebuconazole concentrations ${\geq}40\;{\mu}M$ resulted in 11 different types of severe external malformations including gut dysplasia. Histological examinations revealed various dysplasia in the eye, heart, liver, intestine, somatic muscle, and in the pronephric ducts. The tissue-specific toxic effects were investigated with an animal cap assay. Blood cells are generally induced at a high frequency by the combination of mSCF and activin A, however, the induction of blood cells was strongly inhibited by the addition of tebuconazole. Electron micrographs of tested embryos showed many of multivesicular bodies and dysplasia of photo-receptive cell, however, the somatic muscle degeneration was not severe. The gene expression of cultivated animal cap explants was investigated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and revealed that expression of the blood-specific marker, $\beta$ globin II and muscle-specific marker, muscle actin were more strongly inhibited than the neural-specific marker, XEn2.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2006

We examined the radioprotection effects of acupoint (acupuncture point) stimulation during organogenesis stages of ICR mice. Pregnant mice received 1.5 Gy whole body X-irradiation on day 8 of gestation, which is the early stage of organogenesis. The embryonic death rate and teratogenesis rate by radiation were examined. Electroacupuncture to the leg acupoints and/ or transcutaneous stimulation to the back acupoints on the pregnant mice showed no protective effect against irradiation on embryonic or fetal death rate. On the contrary, the strong stimulation resulted in increase in the mortality after irradiation rather than protection. However acupoint stimulation to the pregnant mice never showed harmful effects by itself on embryos. It tended to reduce the skeletal malformations induced by X-ray irradiation. We suspect that acupoint stimulation removed the cells injured by irradiation during embryonic development, resulting in an increase in embryonic death rate and reduction in skeletal anomalies.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 1994

Teratogenic effects of diazinon were assessed on morphology of chick embryos cholinergic blocking agents. Diazinon at doses ranging from 25 to $2000{\mu}g/egg$, was injected on Day 3 of incubation. $TD_{50S}$, were different for the various teratogenic sings such as wry neck, micromelia, abnormal feathering, abnormal beak and curled claws. The threshold dose for wry neck was higher than the threshold dose for other signs; $40{\mu}g/egg$ produced substantial micromelia, abnormal feathering, abnormal beak and curled claws, but gave no sings of wry neck. In contrast to the teratogenic doses, the $LD_{50}$ of diazinon was very high(above $2000{\mu}g/egg$). One of the characteristics of diazinon-induced teratogenesis was reduction of body weight(78.8%) and body length(73.8%). Maximal teratogenic effects, scored as sings of retarded growth, wry neck, micromelia, abnormal feathering, abnormal beak, and curled claws, were produced when the insectcide was administered on the third or fourth day. The threshold dose for type II teratogenic sings including wry neck and short neck was higher than for type I including micromelia and abnormal feathering. Morphorlogical studies, using atropine and gallamine, suggested that nicotinc but not muscarinic receptors may be involved in the mechanism of diazinon-induced type II malformations.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2014

Amphibians play a pivotal role in the ecosystem as a mediator between aquatic and terrestrial environment. Currently they are directly exposed to a variety of chemicals in the aquatic environment throughout their life cycle. Azole fungicides have been widely used in medical applications and agricultural activities. The direct exposure of azole fungicides causes an alarming situation for various ecosystem. Recently, teratogenesis and endocrine disruption by azole fungicides have been reported in amphibians. In an effort to provide the current information for amphibian toxicity of azole fungicides and to make the guidelines for safe usage of azole-based materials, the effects of azole fungicides including imidazole, triazole, thiazole, oxazole, and pyrazoleon on early development, differentiation and reproduction of amphibians were reviewed.