Inhibition of the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase induces orofacial defects in zebrafish.

BACKGROUND: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are common birth defects, which include a range of disorders with a complex etiology affecting formation of craniofacial structures. Some forms of syndromic OFCs are produced by defects in the cholesterol pathway. The principal enzyme of the cholesterol pathway is the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR). Our aim is to study whether defects of HMGCR function would produce orofacial malformation similar to those found in disorders of cholesterol synthesis. METHODS: We used zebrafish hmgcrb mutants and HMGCR inhibition assay using atorvastatin during early and late stages of orofacial morphogenesis in zebrafish. To describe craniofacial phenotypes, we stained cartilage and bone and performed in situ hybridization using known craniofacial markers. Also, we visualized neural crest cell migration in a transgenic fish. RESULTS: Our results showed that mutants displayed loss of cartilage and diminished orofacial outgrowth, and in some cases palatal cleft. Late treatments with statin show a similar phenotype. Affected-siblings displayed a moderate phenotype, whereas early-treated embryos had a minor cleft. We found reduced expression of the downstream component of Sonic Hedgehog-signaling gli1 in ventral brain, oral ectoderm, and pharyngeal endoderm in mutants and in late atorvastatin-treated embryos. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that HMGCR loss-of-function primarily affects postmigratory cranial neural crest cells through abnormal Sonic Hedgehog signaling, probably induced by reduction in metabolites of the cholesterol pathway. Malformation severity correlates with the grade of HMGCR inhibition, developmental stage of its disruption, and probably with availability of maternal lipids. Together, our results might help to understand the spectrum of orofacial phenotypes found in cholesterol synthesis disorders. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:814-830, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Antecedentes de empleo de medicamentos durante el embarazo en madres de pacientes con fisura de labio y/o paladar / Drugs use backgrounds during pregnancy in mothers of patients presenting with lip and/or palate fissures

Los defectos congénitos constituyen anomalías en la estructura, funcionamiento o metabolismo del organismo y sus causas pueden ser genéticas o ambientales. La fisura de labio y paladar constituye un defecto congénito aislado cuya etiología es de carßcter multifactorial. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo identificar el comportamiento de las fisuras de labio y/o paladar en madres que ingirieron medicamentos durante el embarazo, para lo cual se analizaron todos los ni±os nacidos vivos, con el diagnóstico de fisura de labio y/o paladar en el período de tiempo comprendido entre los a±os 2000 y 2006 en la Ciudad de La Habana, de donde se obtuvo un universo de estudio de 112 pacientes. Se aplicó un formulario con el objetivo de obtener información relacionada con la toma de medicamentos por parte de las madres de los pacientes en el momento de la gestación. Los resultados demuestran que el 58,92 por ciento de las madres ingirieron medicamentos, y que el trimestre de mayor consumo fue el tercero, con el 50,89 por ciento del total de madres estudiadas. Los medicamentos mßs empleados fueron las vitaminas y los antianémicos(AU)

Congenital defects are anomalies in structure, functioning or metabolism of organism and its causes may be of genetic or environmental causes. Lip and palate fissure is an isolated congenital defect whose etiology is of multifactorial character. Aim of present study is to identify behavior of lip and/or palate fissures in mothers took drugs during pregnancy, thus analyzing all children live birth with a diagnosis of lip and/or palate during 2000 and 2006 in Havana City, from where it was possible to obtain a study universe of 112 patients. We applied a form to obtain information related to drugs by mothers of patients during pregnancy. Results show that 58, 92 percent of mother took drugs, and that trimester of higher consumption was the third one, with 50,89 percent of total of study mothers. More use drugs were vitamins and antianemic(AU)

Chemical exposure during pregnancy and oral clefts in newborns.

This article presents a literature review on the risk factors for oral clefts (lip and/or palate), emphasizing discussion of maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors. Several studies have identified the risk of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, use of anticonvulsant drugs, and exposure to organic solvents. A protective effect has been shown for supplementation with folic acid. As with other chemicals, the risk associated with exposure to sex hormones is still obscure, although some authors describe a moderate risk level. New studies addressing this hypothesis need to be conducted, while the population exposed to these endocrine disrupters is increasing.