Metabolite profiling of whole murine embryos reveals metabolic perturbations associated with maternal valproate-induced neural tube closure defects.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Valproic acid (VPA) is prescribed therapeutically for multiple conditions, including epilepsy. When taken during pregnancy, VPA is teratogenic, increasing the risk of several birth and developmental defects including neural tube defects (NTDs). The mechanism by which VPA causes NTDs remains controversial and how VPA interacts with folic acid (FA), a vitamin commonly recommended for the prevention of NTDs, remains uncertain. We sought to address both questions by applying untargeted metabolite profiling analysis to neural tube closure (NTC) stage mouse embryos.

Methods

Pregnant SWV dams on either a 2 ppm or 10 ppm FA supplemented diet were injected with a single dose of VPA on gestational day E8.5. On day E9.5, the mouse embryos were collected and evaluated for NTC

SUBMITTER: Akimova D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5388579 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature