Teratogenic Effects of Plants on Lambs Jess Russ

Teratogenic Effects of Plants on Lambs Jess Russ Chase Constant

Case Summary Lambing problem in Spanish Forks, Utah n Drought kept herds on mountain pastures later into fall breeding season n n Rancher described the following in lambs: n n n Distorted upper jaw, cleft palate, and cyclopia Motor-nerve paralysis Surviving lambs had shortened legs

Cyclopia in lambs

Possible Causes n Two toxic plants were found on the pasture land n Veratrum sp. (commonly known as Corn Lily) n Lupinus sp. (Lupine)

Veratrum sp. n Contains 3 teratogenic alkaloids n n Inhibits proteoglycan synthesis resulting in defective chondrongenesis n n jervine, cyclopamine, and cycloposine results in head, trachea, and bone malformations Cyclopamine and jervine inhibit Shh signaling during gastrulation-stage

Teratogenic Effects of Veratrum sp. Day of Gestation Effect 14 cyclopia 17 -18 motor-nerve paralysis of hind legs 12 -30 cleft palate, harelip and brachygnathia 30 -36 shortened legs from hypoplasia

Lupinus sp. Contains the toxic alkaloid anagyrine n Ewes may be symptomatic with the following: n n salivation, ataxia, seizures, and head-pressing The alkaloid is NOT teratogenic to sheep fetuses n Causes “crooked calf syndrome” in cattle n

Lupine Effects in Cattle n Cow rumen metabolizes anagyrine resulting in a teratogenic derivative n n n Causes an immobilizing effect on fetus Fetus malformations occur because the fetus remains in one position for a prolonged period Occurs when exposure is 40 -70 days in gestation

Diagnosis n The symptoms that the rancher noted were indicative of the toxic Corn Lily n The Lupine, while toxic to sheep, was not the underlying cause of the noted problem

Management Suggestions n Keep ewes in their first trimester off the problematic pastures n No treatment options are available

References Chan A, Downs D, Tsai C, Begley B, Triplett J. Poisonous Plants. http: //cal. vet. upenn. edu/poison/plants/ppweste. htm. University of Pennsylvania. 2006 Apr. 19. Lee ST, Panter KE, Gaffield W, Stegelmeier BL. Development of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for the veratrum plant teratogens: cyclopamine and jervine. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Jan 29; 51(3): 582 -6.