Alterations in the methylation of membrane phospholipids in the uterus and post-implantation embryo following exposure to teratogenic doses of alcohol.

The intragastric administration of alcohol to pregnant mice at 3.0 g/kg body weight, but not at 0.5 or 1.5 g/kg body weight, adversely influenced embryonic growth and increased the rate of methyl group incorporation from S-adenosyl-L-[methyl-3H]methionine into uterine endometrial plasma membrane phospholipids. These changes involved phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, and phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine when the alcohol was acutely administered, but only phosphatidylcholine when the drug was given in a semi-chronic regime. Similar alterations were not detected in post-implantation embryos exposed to alcohol either in vitro or in vivo. The results suggest that maternal exposure to alcohol during early post-implantation pregnancy can alter the pattern of phospholipid methylation in the uterus, but not in the embryo, which may facilitate biochemical changes that adversely influence the ability of the maternal system to support embryonic development.