Cortisone-Induced Teratogenic Effects in Mice ∗

Summary

Four consecutive daily doses of cortisone on days 11 through 14 of pregnancy were injected into several strains of mice and their hybrids and the incidence of cleft palate noted in the offspring. In Strong A mice the incidence of induced cleft palate was 100% compared to 9% of spontaneous cleft palate. In C3H mice, the incidence of induced cleft palate was 36% compared to less than 1% of spontaneous cleft palate. In the BALB/c the incidence of induced cleft palate was 62% and no cases of spontaneous cleft palate were noticed. The incidence varied greatly in the hybrids and backcrossings according to the genetic pattern of the fetuses. Of particular interest is the backcrossing of A × BALB/c females to A males with an incidence of 92% of cortisone-induced cleft palate, which may be useful as a pharmacogenetic tool in studying drug-induced orofacial malformations.