AI Article Synopsis
- The neurotoxin β-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) is linked to neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Alzheimer's disease, and researchers are investigating its presence in marine mollusks from the Chinese coast.
- In a study analyzing 68 mollusk samples using HILIC-MS/MS, BMAA was detected in five samples from three species, with the highest concentrations found in one specific species, while DAB was found in the majority of samples.
- The findings suggest that the gastropod may play a significant role in the distribution of BMAA, and since some of these mollusks are consumed by humans, further research into the risks associated with these neurotoxins in marine food sources is recommended.
Article Abstract
The neurotoxin β--methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) has been identified as an environmental factor triggering neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated the possible vectors of BMAA and its isomers 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) and -2(aminoethyl)glycine (AEG) in marine mollusks collected from the Chinese coast. Sixty-eight samples of marine mollusks were collected along the Chinese coast in 2016, and were analyzed by an HILIC-MS/MS (hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer) method without derivatization. BMAA was detected in a total of five samples from three species: , , and . The top three concentrations of free-form BMAA (0.99~3.97 μg·g wet weight) were detected in . DAB was universally detected in most of the mollusk samples (53/68) with no species-specific or regional differences (0.051~2.65 μg·g wet weight). No AEG was detected in any mollusk samples tested here. The results indicate that the gastropod might be an important vector of the neurotoxin BMAA in the Chinese marine ecosystem. The neurotoxin DAB was universally present in marine bivalve and gastropod mollusks. Since is consumed by humans, we suggest that the origin and risk of BMAA and DAB toxins in the marine ecosystem should be further investigated in the future.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5128745 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/md14110202 | DOI Listing |
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