Effects of B(a)P on preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro were studied. Preimplantation mouse embryos were exposed to a concentration of 0.3, 1, 3 and 10 $\mu$M B(a)P for 72 hrs. The toxicological effects of B(a)P were evaluated by morphological observation of embryos up to the blastocyst stage, and by measuring DNA, RNA and protein synthesis by radioactive precursor incorporation. At 1 $\mu$M B(a)P did not affect preimplantation development but interfered with hatching and ICM formation. Suppressing effect of ICM formation was dose dependent. At the eight cell stage, the developmental rate was decreased at above 3 $\mu$M of B(a)P. At the blastocyst stage, attachment and trophoblast outgrowth were diminished at the 10 $\mu$M of B(a)P and ICM formation was decreased at 1 $\mu$M of B(a)P. Inner cell number of blastocyst was decreased dose dependently. So, number of ICM was one of the most sensitive and toxicological end point. The RNA incorporation rate of 0.1 $\mu ^3$H-uridine was dosedependent and the protein incroporation of 0.5 $\mu Ci ^{35}$S-methionine showed a significant decrease after 48 hrs. But the DNA incorporation rate of methyl-$^3$H thymidine was not affected. Our results suggested that B(a)P did not affect the DNA replication but transcription was inhibited by dose dependent manner. There delay of development during the blastocyst stage was mainly due to the inhibition of RNA synthesis followed by protein synthesis.
(0)
(0)