The role of inhibited cell-cell communication in teratogenesis.

A mechanistic link between teratogenesis and carcinogenesis has been suggested by a wide variety of scientific observations. This report attempts to provide a theoretical explanation for one of the several possible mechanisms which might be shared during carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. The initiation and promotion concept of carcinogenesis was briefly reviewed and the role of intercellular communication during the complex tumor promotion phase was discussed. Inhibition of intercellular communication by a wide variety of physical, chemical and biological factors was speculated to disrupt the regulation of proliferation and differentiation in stem cells. Chemicals, which interfered with intercellular communication during early organogenesis, have the potential of being teratogens, while if they are present in the developed, initiated organisms have the potential of being tumor promoters. Evidence was presented showing that known tumor promoters which inhibited intercellular communication also had been shown to be teratogens. It was concluded that in vitro assays, designed to measure intercellular communication, although having known limitations, might be used as an in vitro means to screen for potential teratogens.