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Modus Operandi of an Infamous Drug
Mutant mice provide clues to how DES wreaked havoc in the womb
The synthetic hormone DES may do its damage by suppressing the activity of a gene that normally plays a vital role in the development of the male and female reproductive tracts.
References:
Miller, C., K. Degenhardt, and D.A. Sassoon. 1998. Fetal exposure to DES results in de-regulation of Wnt7a during uterine morphogenesis. Nature Genetics 20(November):228.
Miller, C., and D.A. Sassoon. 1998. Wnt-7a maintains appropriate uterine patterning during the development of the mouse female reproductive tract. Development 125(August):3201.
Newbold, R.R., et al. 1998. Increased tumors but uncompromised fertility in the female descendants of mice exposed developmentally to diethylstilbestrol. Carcinogenesis 19:1655.
Parr, B.A., and A.P. McMahon. 1998. Sexually dimorphic development of the mammalian reproductive tract requires Wnt-7a. Nature 395(Oct. 15):707.
Stevens, T. 1998. Thalidomide embryopathy: Mechanisms of action. Teratology 57:96.
Further Readings:
1996. Tamoxifen therapy should last 5 years. Science News 150(Nov. 23):335.
Adler, T. 1994. The return of thalidomide. Science News 146(Dec. 24&31):424.
Raloff, J. 1998. Drug prevents some cancer, poses risks. Science News 153(April 11):228.
______. 1995. DES sons face no fertility problems. Science News 147(May 27):324.
______. 1994. That feminine touch. Science News 145(Jan. 22):56.
For additional information on DES and support groups for people affected by the drug, visit the DES Action's Web site at http://www.desaction.org.
Sources:
Andrew P. McMahon
Harvard Medical School
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
The Biolabs
16 Divinity Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
Diether Neubert
Free University Berlin
Benjamin Franklin Medical Center
Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
Garystr. 5, D-14195 Berlin
Germany
David A. Sassoon
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Brookdale Center of Developmental and Molecular Biology
One Gustave Levy Place
Box 1126
New York, NY 10029
Trent D. Stephens
Idaho State University
Department of Biological Sciences
Pocatello, ID 83209
From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 8, February 20, 1999, p. 124. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.
