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Molecular approaches to developmental malformations using analogous forms of valproic acid
Author(s) -
Okada Akinobu,
Fujiwara Michio
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
congenital anomalies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1741-4520
pISSN - 0914-3505
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-4520.2006.00105.x
Subject(s) - valproic acid , microarray , dna microarray , gene , neural tube , microarray analysis techniques , biology , computational biology , teratology , embryo , embryonic stem cell , genetics , gene expression , fetus , neuroscience , epilepsy , pregnancy
The teratogenic potential of valproic acid has been well established both in experimental models and in human clinical studies. Evidence from many previous studies has shown that VPA is an appropriate drug model for studying chemical structure‐teratogenicity relationships. Using molecular techniques of DNA microarray (GeneChip system) or quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction with low teratogenic VPA analogs as comparative control drugs, we attempted to identify the genes involved with the molecular mechanisms of VPA teratogenicity in the neural tube and the axial skeleton of the mouse embryo. The recent development of DNA microarray enables a genome‐wide approach to the identification of genes correlated with the teratogenicity of chemicals (teratogenomics). The VPA‐induced changes in gene expression seen during mouse embryogenesis provides information for understanding how VPA disrupts normal embryonic development, and also provides leads for the development of safer medicines.