Objective: To probe the effect of alcohol consumption on brain mitochondria development of mouse embryos.
Methods: Pregnant mice were given alcohol intragastrically from pregnant day (PD) 6 - 5. On PD 18, embryos were dissected out and the brain mitochondria were extracted. Then mitochondria membrane potential, activities of mitochondria respiratory chain complex I, IV and ATPase, and ATP content were measured in vitro.
Results: The ratio of fetal brain/body weight decreased as the maternal alcohol dosage increasing. An increased proportion of immature mitochondria, from 18 percent to 34 percent, was detected by flow cytometry. Reduced activities of respiratory chain complexes I and IV were found in 3.0 g/kg/day (91.7% and 87.9% respectively) and 6.0 g/kg/day alcohol exposure groups (72.4% and 69.7% respectively). Only 6.0 g/kg/day ethanol exposure group showed significantly reduced activity (80.3% of control) of ATPase. ATP contents in the fetal brain mitochondria of 3.0 g/kg/day and 6.0 g/kg/day maternal alcohol exposure groups were significantly less than that of control, implying an impaired mechanism of ATP synthesis and/ or uptake.
Conclusion: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can affect embryo brain mitochondria development, which may be related to the neural tube defects induced by alcohol.