saxitoxin and maitotoxin

Synapses are specialised structures where interneuronal communication takes place. Not only brain function is absolutely dependent on synaptic activity, but also most of our organs are intimately controlled by synaptic activity. Synapses re therefore an ideal target to act upon and poisonous species have evolved fascinating neurotoxins capable of shutting down neuronal communication by blocking or activating essential components of the synapse. By hijacking key proteins of the communication machinery, neurotoxins are therefore extremely valuable tools that have, in turn, greatly helped our understanding of synaptic biology. Moreover, analysis and understanding of the molecular strategy used by certain neurotoxins has allowed the design of entirely new classes of drugs acting on specific targets with high selectivity and efficacy. This chapter will discuss the different classes of marine neurotoxins, their effects on neurotransmitter release and how they act to incapacitate key steps in the process leading to synaptic vesicle fusion.

Topics: Acrylamides; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Calcium Channel Blockers; Calcium Channels; Ciguatoxins; Cnidarian Venoms; Ion Channels; Marine Toxins; Models, Molecular; Molecular Sequence Data; Neurotoxins; Neurotransmitter Agents; Oxocins; Potassium Channels; Saxitoxin; Sea Anemones; Synaptic Transmission; Tetrodotoxin

We report here a rapid detection method for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins using a cultured neuroblastoma cell line, modified from the bioassay system previously established by Manger et al. [Manger, R.L., Leja, L.S., Lee, S.Y., Hungerford, J.M., Kirkpatrick, M.A., Yasumoto, T., Wekell, M.M., 2003. Detection of paralytic shellfish poison by rapid cell bioassay: antagonism of voltage-gated sodium channel active toxins in vitro. J. AOAC Int. 86 (3), 540-543]. In the present study, we made two major modifications to the previous method. The first is the use of maitotoxin, a marine toxin of ciguatera fish poisoning, which enables the incubation period to be reduced to 6 h when applied to the microplate 15 min prior to the end of the incubation. The second is the use of WST-8, a dehydrogenase detecting water-soluble tetrazolium salt for determining the target cell viability, which permits the omission of a washing step and simplifies the counting process. In addition, we attempted to reduce the required materials as much as possible. Thus, our modified method should be useful for screening the PSP-toxins from shellfish.

Topics: Animals; Biological Assay; Cell Line, Tumor; Marine Toxins; Mice; Neuroblastoma; Oxocins; Saxitoxin; Shellfish; Tetrazolium Salts

We have modified the cell-based directed cytotoxicity assay for sodium channel and calcium channel active phycotoxins using a c-fos-luciferase reporter gene construct. In this report we describe the conceptual basis to the development of reporter gene assays for algal-derived toxins and summarize both published and unpublished data using this method. N2A mouse neuroblastoma cells, which express voltage-dependent sodium channels, were stably transfected with the reporter gene c-fos-luc, which contains the firefly luciferase gene under the transcriptional regulation of the human c-fos response element. The characteristics of the N2A reporter gene assay were determined by dose response with brevetoxin and ciguatoxin. Brevetoxin-1 and ciguatoxin-1 induced c-fos-luc with an EC50 of 4.6 and 3.0 ng ml(-1), respectively. Saxitoxin caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of brevetoxin-1 induction of c-fos-luc with an EC50 of 3.5 ng ml(-1). GH4C1 rat pituitary cells, which lack voltage-dependent sodium channels but express voltage-dependent calcium channels, were also stably transfected with the c-fos-luc. GH4C1 cells expressing c-fos-luciferase were responsive to maitotoxin (1 ng ml(-1)) and a putative toxin produced by Pfiesteria piscicida. Although reporter gene assays are not designed to replace existing detection methods used to measure toxin activity in seafood, they do provide a valuable means to screen algal cultures for toxin activity, to conduct assay-guided fractionation and to characterize pharmacologic properties of algal toxins.

Topics: Animals; Biological Assay; Ciguatoxins; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Genes, fos; Genes, Reporter; Luciferases; Marine Toxins; Mice; Neuroblastoma; Neurotoxins; Oxocins; Pfiesteria piscicida; Pituitary Gland; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Rats; RNA, Messenger; Saxitoxin; Transfection; Tumor Cells, Cultured