Toxicity of ecstasy (MDMA) towards embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac and neural cells

“Ecstasy” or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is primarily a recreational drug commonly used during the child bearing period, thus, there is a major concern regarding the embryonic and fetal toxicity of this drug. Here, we report the cardio- and neuro-toxic effects of MDMA on beating embryoid bodies (EBs) and neural cell-containing EBs derived from mouse embryonic stem cell (ESCs). Based on our linear discriminate function, MDMA is considered to be a moderate or weak teratogen. Moreover, the generation of EBs with neural cell morphology and the expression of MAP2, a mature neuron marker, decrease more when MDMA is administered during the EB formation stage rather than post-plated EBs. In addition, the ID50 (inhibition of differentiation) of EBs with neural cell morphology is less than cardiac cells. In conclusion, MDMA causes a marked reduction in beating cardiomyocytes and neurons in ESC cultures, and this drug has a more potent toxicity on neural rather than cardiac cell differentiation.