Maternal exposure to busulfan reduces the cell number in the somatosensory cortex associated with delayed somatic and reflex maturation in neonatal rats

Publication date: Available online 7 November 2019Source: Journal of Chemical NeuroanatomyAuthor(s): Henrique J.C.B. Gouveia, Raul Manhães-de-Castro, Bárbara J.R. Costa-de-Santana, Carolina R. Mendonça, Glayciele Leandro de Albuquerque, Diego Bulcão Visco, Diego Cabral Lacerda, Ana Elisa ToscanoAbstractBusulfan is a bifunctional alkylating agent used for myeloablative conditioning and in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia due to its ability to cause DNA damage. However, in rodent experiments, busulfan presented a potential teratogenic and cytotoxic effect. Studies have evaluated the effects of busulfan on fetuses after administration in pregnancy or directly on pups during the lactation period. There are no studies on the effects of busulfan administration during pregnancy on offspring development after birth. We investigated the effects of busulfan on somatic and reflex development and encephalic morphology in young rats after exposure in pregnancy. The pregnant rats were exposed to busulfan (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) during the early developmental stage (days 12-14 of the gestational period). After birth, we evaluated the somatic growth, maturation of physical features and reflex-ontogeny during the lactation period. We also assessed the effects of busulfan on encephalic weight and cortical morphometry at 28 days of postnatal life. As a result, busulfan-induced pathological changes included: microcephaly, evaluated by the reduction of cranial axes, delay in re...
Source: Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research