Toxicity of ecstasy (MDMA) towards embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac and neural cells.
Rokhsareh Meamar, Fereshteh Karamali, Hamid Mirmohamad Sadeghi, Mahmood Etebari, Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani, Hossein Baharvand
Toxicology in Vitro June 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2010.03.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | In vitro experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mouse embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies |
| Intervention | MDMA |
| Measures | MAP2 |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | MDMA reduced beating cardiomyocytes and neurons in mouse embryonic stem cell cultures, with neural differentiation more strongly affected than cardiac differentiation. The authors classify MDMA as a moderate or weak teratogen based on their linear discriminate function, and report a lower ID50 for neural cell morphology than for cardiac cells. |
Abstract
"Ecstasy" or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is primarily a recreational drug commonly used during the child bearing period, thus, there is a major concern regarding the embryonic and fetal toxicity of this drug. Here, we report the cardio- and neuro-toxic effects of MDMA on beating embryoid bodies (EBs) and neural cell-containing EBs derived from mouse embryonic stem cell (ESCs). Based on our linear discriminate function, MDMA is considered to be a moderate or weak teratogen. Moreover, the generation of EBs with neural cell morphology and the expression of MAP2, a mature neuron marker, decrease more when MDMA is administered during the EB formation stage rather than post-plated EBs. In addition, the ID50 (inhibition of differentiation) of EBs with neural cell morphology is less than cardiac cells. In conclusion, MDMA causes a marked reduction in beating cardiomyocytes and neurons in ESC cultures, and this drug has a more potent toxicity on neural rather than cardiac cell differentiation.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Role of Microglia in 3, 4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) -Induced Neurotoxicity: A Mini Review ASM Science Journal November 17, 2023
- Of mice and men on MDMA: a translational comparison of the neuropsychobiological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy'). Brain Research November 14, 2019
- Non-Serotonergic Neurotoxicity by MDMA (Ecstasy) in Neurons Derived from Mouse P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Cells. PLoS One November 18, 2016
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