Qualitative effects of dioxin on molars vary among inbred mouse strains.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the effects of different levels of the potent environmental toxicant and teratogen, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), on molar development in mice in six inbred strains, all with TCDD responsive Ahr alleles.

DESIGN

Pregnant females were exposed on gestation day 13 to 4 different levels of TCDD (control, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 microg/kg) and their offspring were examined for the frequency of missing third molars (M3s) and for differences in first mandibular molar (M1) cuspal morphology.

RESULTS

Missing M3s were prevalent only in mice in two strains, C3H/HeJ and CBA/J, and their frequency significantly increased with increasing TCDD exposure. The frequency of the M1 variant was high in mice in only one strain, C57BL/10J, and was significantly higher in the treated compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Inbred mice strains exhibited differential responses to TCDD suggesting that there is a genetic component, beyond Ahr differences, mediating the effects of TCDD on molar development.