In vivo genotoxic potential of microcystin-LR: a cyanobacterial toxin, investigated both by the unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) and the comet assays after intravenous administration.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a toxin produced by freshwater cyanobacteria and is a potential threat to human health. MC-LR has been shown to be both a specific inhibitor of serine/threonine protein phosphatases PP1 and PP2A and a potent tumor promoter in rat liver. However, the genotoxic potential of MCs remains unclear.

In vivo DNA damage induced by the cyanotoxin microcystin-LR: comparison of intra-peritoneal and oral administrations by use of the comet assay.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), involved in human and animal poisonings by cyanobacteria, has been shown to be both a potent tumour promoter in rat liver and an inhibitor of serine/threonine protein phosphatases, specifically PP1 and PP2A. The research on the genotoxic potential of MC-LR counts only few in vivo studies. In order to determine the target organs for DNA-damage induction by MC-LR, the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) or comet assay was performed in mice.

Toxicity to medaka fish embryo development of okadaic acid and crude extracts of Prorocentrum dinoflagellates.

Chronic and subchronic toxicity following exposure to the DSP (Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning) toxin okadaic acid (OA) is receiving increasing attention as a public human health biohazard. However information on ecological impacts induced by proliferation of the OA producing dinoflagellate Prorocentrum is scarce. In order to analyse the toxicity of these substances, in vivo experiments were conducted on medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) embryos used as an experimental model.