Pregabalin Administration Induces Alterations in Neural Tube Development During Early Embryonic Stages

Özet

AIM: To evaluate the effect of pregabalin on neural tube development using early chick embryos.MATERIAL and METHODS: Experiments were conducted on specific pathogen-free Leghorn chick embryos, which were equallydivided into control and pregabalin-treated (therapeutic dose: 600 mg; supratherapeutic dose: 1200 mg) groups. The embryoswere macroscopically and microscopically evaluated following pregabalin administration. Expression levels of mammalian target ofrapamycin (mTOR), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3 (LC3) in the embryoswere observed.RESULTS: The embryos in the therapeutic dose group appeared more curved than those in the control group. The vesicles inthe supratherapeutic dose group were more distinct but smaller than those in the control and therapeutic dose groups. mTORexpression was high in the control group and low in the therapeutic and supratherapeutic dose groups. JNK expression was low inthe control and therapeutic dose groups and moderate in the supratherapeutic dose group. LC3 expression was moderate in thecontrol and therapeutic dose groups and strong in the supratherapeutic dose group.CONCLUSION: Pregabalin administration induced neural tube defects and fetal abnormalities in the chick embryos throughincreased autophagy due to enhanced apoptosis in the prenatal fetus.