PMID: 20650144Oct 1, 1995Paper

Investigation, using rat embryo culture, of the role of methionine supply in folic acid-mediated prevention of neural tube defects

Toxicology in Vitro : an International Journal Published in Association with BIBRA
L A Vanaerts

Abstract

Peri-conceptional folic acid supplementation has become a well established way to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) and such supplementation reduces the prevalence of these defects by approximately 70%. However, the mechanism of the preventive effect of folic acid is not clear. This overview focuses on the biochemical basis of folic acid-preventable NTDs and on the results obtained with whole embryo culture that may help to shed some light on the mechanisms that underlie the preventive effect of folic acid. Culturing gestational day (GD) 9.5 rat embryos on diet-induced folate-deficient rat serum resulted in many malformations, but no NTDs and this embryotoxicity could only partly be overcome by supplementation with N(5)-methyltetrahydrofolate(5-methylTHF). This indicates that there may be an indirect effect of folate deficiency. Besides an important role in purine and thymidine synthesis, folate drives the methylation cycle in which the methyl group of 5-methylTHF is transferred to numerous biomolecules. In this process homocysteine and methionine are constantly interconverted. It was hypothesized that folate deficiency might lead to a toxic accumulation of homocysteine. However, only homocysteine levels 100-fold higher than p...Continue Reading

References

Feb 12, 1976·The New England Journal of Medicine·L B HolmesL Atkins
Jan 17, 1991·The New England Journal of Medicine·R P Steegers-TheunissenT K Eskes
Apr 1, 1991·British Journal of Anaesthesia·J M Baden, M Fujinaga
Apr 1, 1989·Teratology·P N MillerF Beck
Nov 1, 1987·The Journal of Experimental Zoology·T J FlynnN W Klein
Feb 1, 1987·Anaesthesia·P Keeling
Apr 19, 1980·Lancet·C J SchorahJ Scott
Jul 1, 1984·Anesthesiology·J B BrodskyY Kundomal
Apr 21, 1994·Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin
May 1, 1993·The British Journal of Nutrition·C BowerD J Nicol
May 1, 1993·Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey·R P Steegers-TheunissenT K Eskes
Mar 15, 1993·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·C J SchorahM J Seller
May 1, 1990·The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry·J D Finkelstein
Oct 1, 1995·Toxicology in Vitro : an International Journal Published in Association with BIBRA·M Fujinaga
Nov 1, 1993·Toxicology in Vitro : an International Journal Published in Association with BIBRA·L A van AertsJ Noordhoek

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 9, 1999·Biotechnology and Bioengineering·P Jorjani, S S Ozturk
May 23, 2001·Experimental Biology and Medicine·N M van der PutH J Blom

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.