Interaction of [glutarimide-2-14C]-thalidomide with rat embryonic DNA in vivo.

We have investigated the possibility of [phthalimide carbonyl-14C]thalidomide and [glutarimide-2-14C]thalidomide interaction with DNA. In each experiment, groups of pregnant Wistar rats were treated with a labeled compound on day 12 of gestation. The embryos were harvested 24 h later, and dimethlformamide-treated control groups and groups treated with the same labeled compound and with the same radioactive doses were pooled respectively and analyzed. The DNA from each group was purified and monitored for 14C radioactivity. Low but statistically significant radioactivity was detected in only the DNA samples prepared from the [glutarimide-2-14C]thalidomide-treated embryos. This result demonstrates the binding of the glutarimide moiety, or its reactive intermediates, with rat embryonic DNA in vivo.