Supplementation with the Methyl Donor Betaine Prevents Congenital Defects Induced by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite decades of public education about dire consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), drinking alcohol during pregnancy remains prevalent. As high as 40% of live-born infants exposed to alcohol during gestation and diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome have congenital heart defects that can be life-threatening. In animal models, the methyl donor betaine, found in foods such as wheat bran, quinoa, beets, and spinach, ameliorated neurobehavioral deficits associated with PAE, but effects on heart development are unknown.

Methods

Previously, we modeled a binge drinking episode during the first trimester in avian embryos. Here, we investigated whether betaine could prevent adverse effects of alcohol on heart development. Embryos exposed to ethanol (EtOH) with

SUBMITTER: Karunamuni G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5659922 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature