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Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology of Methanol
Citation:
ROGERS, J. M., J. S. GIFT, AND S. BARONE. Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology of Methanol. Chapter 5, The Toxicology of Methanol. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ, 1:107-139, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
Methanol is a high production volume chemical used as a feedstock for chemical syntheses and as a solvent and fuel additive. Methanol has been identified as a rodent teratogen in studies undertaken because of the potential for occupational exposures or increased use of this alcohol in vehicle fuels. Subsequent developmental and reproductive studies in monkeys were more equivocal in their findings. This chapter reviews the literature describing the developmental and reproductive toxicity of methanol and germane to understanding the pathogenesis and underlying mechanisms ofthese effects in laboratory animals. The Environmental Protection Agency has just completed an IRIS assessment of methanol, and this chapter summarizes some ofthe information on reproductive and developmental toxicity that is in that document.
Description:
Methanol is a high production volume chemical used as a feedstock for chemical syntheses and as a solvent and fuel additive. Methanol is acutely toxic to humans, causing acidosis, blindness in death at high dosages, but its developmental and reproductive toxicity in humans is poorly understood. Methanol has been identified as a rodent teratogen in studies undertaken because of the potential for occupational exposures or increased use of this alcohol in vehicle fuels Subsequent developmental and reproductive studies in monkeys were more equivocal in their findings. This chapter reviews the literature describing the developmental and reproductive toxicity of methanol and germane to understanding the pathogenesis and underlying mechanisms of these effects in laboratory animals. The metabolism of methanol must be considered in evaluating putative mechanisms through which this alcohol might produce dysmorphogenesis in offspring following maternal exposure. In vitro approaches, principally whole embryo culture, which have been important in elucidating the mechanisms of developmental toxicity of methanol and metabolites, and is also considered.