Cardiovascular anomalies produced by nimustine hydrochloride in the rat fetus

The cardiovascular teratogenicity of nimustine hydrochloride (ACNU) was studied in rat fetuses. This drug is a nitrosourea derivative anticancer agent and produces alkylation of DNA. Pregnant Donryu rats were treated with single doses of 10, 11 or 13 mg/kg of the teratogen at various stages during gestation. Examination of the hearts was performed by microdissection after sacrificing the animals on the 20th day of gestation. The highest frequency of cardiovascular anomalies was found in the groups treated on the 8th day of gestation, but there was no difference in the rates induced by the three dosages of ACNU administered. The most common cardiovascular anomalies observed were ventricular septal defect (76.8%) and double outlet right ventricle (10.3%). A considerable number of affected fetuses (37/263) showed complex cardiac anomalies with atrioventricular (AV) malalignment and other AV valve anomalies. These anomalies include: double inlet left ventricle, straddling AV valve, atresia or stenosis of the AV valve, and dysplastic AV valve. ACNU appears to be a useful teratogenic agent for inducing complexes of cardiac anomalies which include AV malalignment.