Quadricuspid aortic valves in Syrian hamsters and their formation according to current knowledge on valvulogenesis.

Occurrence of quadricuspid aortic valves has been reported in humans, in nine dogs and in a greater white-toothed shrew. Moreover, two cases of developing aortic valves with four anticipated leaflets have been described in Syrian hamster embryos. Currently, however, no case of quadricuspid aortic valve in adult hamsters has been recorded. The aim here is to present four adults of this rodent species, two of them with unequivocally quadricuspid aortic valves and the other two with quadricuspid-like aortic valves. The four anomalous aortic valves were detected among 4,190 Syrian hamsters examined in our laboratory, representing an incidence of 0.09%. None of the affected hamsters showed apparent signs of disease. The present findings are considered on the light of current empirical knowledge about the morphogenesis of quadricuspid and bicuspid aortic and pulmonary valves. Quadricuspid aortic valves result from the partition of one of the normal mesenchymal cushions which normally give rise to normal (tricuspid) valves, while quadricuspid-like valves might be the product of a combined mechanism of fusion and partition of the cushions at the onset of the valvulogenesis. The presence of aortic valves with four leaflets in ancient mammalian lineages such as insectivors and rodents suggest that quadricuspid aortic valves, although showing almost certainly a low incidence, may be widespread among the different groups of mammals, including domestic animals.

Genetically alike Syrian hamsters display both bifoliate and trifoliate aortic valves.

The bifoliate, or bicuspid, aortic valve (BAV) is the most frequent congenital cardiac anomaly in man. It is a heritable defect, but its mode of inheritance remains unclear. Previous studies in Syrian hamsters showed that BAVs with fusion of the right and left coronary leaflets are expressions of a trait, the variation of which takes the form of a phenotypic continuum. It ranges from a trifoliate valve with no fusion of the coronary leaflets to a bifoliate root devoid of any raphe. The intermediate stages are represented by trifoliate valves with fusion of the coronary aortic leaflets, and bifoliate valves with raphes. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the distinct morphological variants rely on a common genotype, or on different genotypes. We examined the aortic valves from 1 849 Syrian hamsters belonging to a family subjected to systematic inbreeding by full-sib mating. The incidence of the different trifoliate aortic valve (TAV) and bifoliate aortic valve (BAV) morphological variants widely varied in the successive inbred generations. TAVs with extensive fusion of the leaflets, and BAVs, accounted for five-sixths of the patterns found in Syrian hamsters considered to be genetically alike or virtually isogenic, with the probability of homozygosity being 0.999 or higher. The remaining one-sixth hamsters had aortic valves with a tricuspid design, but in most cases the right and left coronary leaflets were slightly fused. Results of crosses between genetically alike hamsters, with the probability of homozygosity being 0.989 or higher, revealed no significant association between the valvar phenotypes in the parents and their offspring. Our findings are consistent with the notion that the BAVs of the Syrian hamster are expressions of a quantitative trait subject to polygenic inheritance. They suggest that the genotype of the virtually isogenic animals produced by systematic inbreeding greatly predisposes to the development of anomalous valves, be they bifoliate, or trifoliate with extensive fusion of the leaflets. We infer that the same underlying genotype may account for the whole range of valvar morphological variants, suggesting that factors other than genetic ones are acting during embryonic life, creating the so-called intangible variation or developmental noise, and playing an important role in the definitive anatomic configuration of the valve. The clinical implication from our study is that congenital aortic valves with a trifoliate design, but with fusion of coronary aortic leaflets, may harbour the same inherent risks as those already recognised for BAVs with fusion of right and left coronary leaflets.

Biochemical and morphological changes in the developing kidney.

We have studied microsomal phospholipid, cholesterol and protein concentration in rat renal papilla, medulla and cortex during postnatal development, and the relationship between these membranes biochemical parameters and morphological changes. We also determined DNA concentration in each kidney zone. No changes were observed either in papillary microsomal phospholipids, proteins and cholesterol or in DNA concentration from 10-to 70-day-old rats. Medullary microsomal proteins and cholesterol did not change but a significant increase was observed in the microsomal phospholipid concentration during development; in this case, medullary DNA was significantly lower at 70 than at 10 days. In contrast, all biochemical parameters in renal cortex were significantly higher during development except for DNA concentration which suffered a great decrease. These biochemical findings demonstrate that the developmental pattern is different in each zone of the kidney and confirm the fact that the papilla, in newborn rats, is almost fully developed whereas the renal cortex and medulla are immature.