The Dutch-Belted rabbit: an alternative breed for developmental toxicity testing.

BACKGROUND

Historical control data play a crucial role in the interpretation of observations made from developmental and reproductive toxicity studies.

METHODS

In our effort to develop the Dutch-Belted rabbit as an alternative breed of rabbit for testing of small molecule pharmaceuticals, data collected from 236 untreated pregnant Dutch Belted rabbits are summarized and compared to data collected from 350 untreated pregnant New Zealand White Rabbits.

RESULTS

The data presented include mean maternal body weight and food consumption values, mean maternal hematological and serum biochemical values collected during gestation, maternal reproductive (laparotomy) parameters collected at cesarean section, and incidences of spontaneous fetal morphological alterations collected during 1999-2002. Due to their smaller size the use of this breed of rabbit would require approximately 40% less drug than studies conducted with New Zealand White rabbits. Because the Dutch-Belted rabbit is pigmented this breed also offers the ability to test the potential effects of various xenobiotics on melanocyte development and to evaluate the potential sequela of drugs that have a propensity to bind melanin in the skin and pigmented retinal epithelium.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these data, the Dutch-Belted rabbit is considered to be a practical alternative to use of the New Zealand White rabbit for these types of studies.