1,216 results match your criteria: "Toxicity Tetrodotoxin"
Tetrodotoxin toxicity: an increasing threat.
Pract Neurol
December 2024
Department of Neurology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Australia.
A man aged in his sixties presented to the emergency department with vomiting, dizziness and generalised weakness preceded by perioral and peripheral paraesthesias for several hours. He did not speak English and was visiting from overseas. Examination revealed multidirectional nystagmus, subtle bilateral ptosis, marked bilateral upper limb dysmetria and heel-shin ataxia, with mild proximal limb weakness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComparative biochemical characterization of pufferfish saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin-binding protein (PSTBP) homologs in the plasma from four Takifugu species: Conservation of heat-stable PSTBP orthologs having three and two tandemly repeated lipocalin domains in genus Takifugu.
Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol
January 2025
Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
To study the relationship between domain characteristics of pufferfish saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin binding protein (PSTBP) proteoforms and their thermal stability, a comparative biochemical characterization of PSTBPs from the plasma of four Takifugu species (T. flavipterus, T. pardalis, T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTetrodotoxin and the state-of-the-art progress of its associated analytical methods.
Front Microbiol
September 2024
School of Public Health, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
Article Synopsis
- Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a toxic compound found in various marine organisms like pufferfish and shellfish, posing risks of seafood poisoning and public health threats.
- The review covers key aspects of TTX, including its structure, sources, toxicity, and current laws regulating it, alongside the latest analytical techniques developed for its detection over the past five years.
- It highlights advanced biosensor technologies—like cell-based biosensors, immunosensors, and aptasensors—discussing their benefits and drawbacks, and emphasizing the potential for improved TTX detection methods in the future.
Rattlesnake Crotalphine Analgesic Active on Tetrodotoxin-Sensitive Na Current in Mouse Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons.
Toxins (Basel)
August 2024
Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), Institut des Sciences du Vivant Frédéric Joliot, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire pour la Santé (SIMoS), EMR CNRS/CEA 9004, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Article Synopsis
- - Crotalphine, an analgesic peptide from South American rattlesnake venom, has a well-known pain-relieving effect, but its exact working mechanisms remain unclear.
- - Research focused on how crotalphine affects the Na1.7 channel, a target involved in pain sensation, using adult mouse neurons and various assays to assess effects on ion currents and cell viability.
- - Findings revealed that crotalphine can significantly inhibit Na current and impact cell viability, suggesting it may contribute to pain relief through the Na1.7 channel while also causing some cellular damage at higher concentrations.
Neuronal Membrane-Derived Nanodiscs for Broad-Spectrum Neurotoxin Detoxification.
ACS Nano
September 2024
Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers created neuronal membrane-derived nanodiscs (Neuron-NDs) from human SH-SY5Y neurons to target and detoxify neurotoxins like tetrodotoxin (TTX) and botulinum toxin (BoNT).
- * In tests, Neuron-NDs successfully improved survival rates in mouse models affected by TTX and BoNT, showing no acute toxicity, and suggesting their potential as safe treatments for neurotoxin exposure.
First record of paralytic shellfish toxins in marine pufferfish from the Spanish Mediterranean coast using cell-based assay, automated patch clamp and HPLC-FLD.
Chemosphere
September 2024
IRTA, Ctra. Poble Nou Km 5.5, 43540, La Ràpita, Spain. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Pufferfish, known for being highly toxic due to neurotoxins like tetrodotoxins and paralytic shellfish toxins, poses a serious risk to human health and has caused many poisoning incidents.
- A study analyzed tissue extracts from two pufferfish species collected from the Spanish Mediterranean, revealing no toxicity in Sphoeroides pachygaster but significant toxicity in the liver of Lagocephalus lagocephalus specimens.
- High-performance liquid chromatography analysis confirmed the presence of paralytic shellfish toxins, particularly saxitoxin and decarbamoylsaxitoxin, in L. lagocephalus, highlighting a food safety concern due to the potential risks associated with consuming this toxic fish in the region. *
Toxicity Equivalency Factors for Tetrodotoxin Analogues Determined with Automated Patch Clamp on Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels in Neuro-2a Cells.
J Agric Food Chem
August 2024
IRTA, Ctra, Poble Nou km 5.5, 43540 La Ràpita, Spain.
Article Synopsis
- Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a dangerous marine neurotoxin linked to various poisoning cases and fatalities, with over 30 known analogues, but their toxic effects are not fully understood.
- This study focused on determining the toxicity equivalency factors (TEFs) of five TTX analogues by examining how they affect voltage-gated sodium channels in Neuro-2a cells using an automated patch clamp method.
- Results showed that all TTX analogues were less toxic than TTX, and the derived TEFs can effectively convert LC-MS/MS data from pufferfish samples into relevant toxicological insights, emphasizing the potential of this method for food safety and health protection.
Polymeric Prodrugs using Dynamic Covalent Chemistry for Prolonged Local Anesthesia.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl
July 2024
Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Department of Anesthesiology Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States.
Article Synopsis
- Depot-type drug delivery systems aim to provide a consistent and safe release of drugs over an extended period, minimizing initial toxicity, especially for potent substances like tetrodotoxin (TTX).
- The study developed a prodrug strategy using dynamic covalent chemistry to enhance TTX encapsulation in polymer nanoparticles, achieving over 90% efficiency while controlling release rates.
- In vivo tests showed that these polymeric prodrugs significantly reduced TTX's systemic toxicity and extended nerve block duration compared to free TTX, demonstrating potential for effective drug delivery systems.
Tissue Localization of Tetrodotoxin in the Flatworm Planocera multitentaculata (Platyhelminthes: Polycladida).
Mar Biotechnol (NY)
August 2024
College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kanagawa, Japan.
Tetrodotoxin (TTX), a pufferfish toxin, is a highly potent neurotoxin that has been found in a wide variety of animals. The TTX-bearing flatworm Planocera multitentaculata possesses a large amount of TTX and is considered responsible for the toxification of TTX-bearing animals such as pufferfish (Takifugu and Chelonodon) and the toxic goby Yongeichthys criniger. However, the mechanism underlying TTX accumulation in flatworms remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhere Does All the Poison Go? Investigating Toxicokinetics of Newt (Taricha) Tetrodotoxin (TTX) in Garter Snakes (Thamnophis).
J Chem Ecol
October 2024
Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
Article Synopsis
- * Garter snakes in North America, which eat toxic Pacific newts, have developed mutations that reduce the toxin's binding to their sodium channels, but this alone doesn't account for all the variations in toxin resistance among different snake populations.
- * The study found that TTX-resistant snakes can eliminate the toxin more quickly than those that are sensitive, suggesting that faster removal of the toxin may have enabled these snakes to eat more prey and evolve further resistance mechanisms.
A smartphone-based fluorescent biosensor with metal-organic framework biocomposites and cotton swabs for the rapid determination of tetrodotoxin in seafood.
Anal Chim Acta
July 2024
School of Public Health, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control Technology for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin, 300050, China. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a highly toxic biotoxin found in puffer fish and some marine animals, posing risks to food safety and human health, and effective detection methods for it in seafood are urgently needed.
- A new smartphone-based portable biosensor using metal-organic framework (MOF) biocomposites and cotton swabs has been developed for quick TTX detection, achieving impressive detection limits and ease of use.
- This biosensor allows for rapid and accurate TTX determination in seafood samples, offering a practical tool for monitoring food safety that can be operated without specialized training in just 15 minutes.
Does climate change increase the risk of marine toxins? Insights from changing seawater conditions.
Arch Toxicol
September 2024
College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
Article Synopsis
- Marine toxins from marine organisms pose serious health risks and are becoming more common due to climate change affecting coastal regions.
- Climate change impacts, such as ocean warming and acidification, create conditions that promote toxin-producing organisms, increasing the risk of harmful algal blooms.
- The paper emphasizes the need for better monitoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative strategies to manage these health risks associated with emerging marine toxins exacerbated by climate change.
The odor of a nontoxic tetrodotoxin analog, 5,6,11-trideoxytetrodotoxin, is detected by specific olfactory sensory neurons of the green spotted puffers.
Chem Senses
January 2024
Laboratory of Fish Biology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan.
Article Synopsis
- Toxic puffers accumulate the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX) from their prey to deter predators, and they are attracted to a non-toxic TTX analog called 5,6,11-trideoxytetrodotoxin (TDT).
- Recent studies suggest that TDT activates specific olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in the green spotted puffer, particularly those known as crypt OSNs.
- Researchers used electroporation to show that these oval-shaped OSNs responded to TDT with a calcium signal, indicating that TDT may help puffers locate other toxic individuals and their TTX-rich food sources.
Insights into caudate amphibian skin secretions with a focus on the chemistry and bioactivity of derived peptides.
Biol Chem
May 2024
Department of Chemistry, Institute for Integrated Natural Sciences, 38899 University of Koblenz, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany.
Article Synopsis
- - Amphibians produce bioactive substances in their skin for self-protection, including toxins like batrachotoxin and tetrodotoxin, as well as antimicrobial peptides.
- - Over 2000 peptides have been identified in amphibian skin, with many showing properties like antimicrobial effects, wound healing promotion, and immunoregulation.
- - Recent research has started to explore skin peptides in salamanders and newts, highlighting their chemistry and potential clinical applications, which has been less focused on compared to frogs and toads.
Feral frogs, native newts, and chemical cues: identifying threats from and management opportunities for invasive African Clawed Frogs in Washington state.
PeerJ
May 2024
Department of Biology, Saint Martin's University, Lacey, WA, USA.
Article Synopsis
- - Invasive species, like the African clawed frog, are a major threat to biodiversity, particularly affecting amphibians, which are already one of the most endangered groups of vertebrates.
- - Research in the Pacific Northwest focused on how native red-legged frog tadpoles respond to chemical cues from both invasive and native predators, revealing that they react defensively to chemical signals from native predators but not to those from the invasive African clawed frog.
- - The study also explored the interactions between native newts, which produce a neurotoxin, and tadpoles, finding that instead of deterring them, tadpoles were attracted to the newt’s chemical cues, indicating that invasive species may further threaten native amphibians in
Tetrodotoxins in Tissues and Cells of Different Body Regions of Ribbon Worms and from Spokoynaya Bay, Sea of Japan.
Toxins (Basel)
April 2024
A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, Russia.
Article Synopsis
- Nemerteans, also known as ribbon worms, contain tetrodotoxin (TTXs) and its analogues, which are neurotoxins likely used for hunting and protection.
- The study analyzed two closely related nemertean species to investigate the distribution and concentration of TTXs in different body parts using advanced techniques like HPLC-MS/MS and fluorescence microscopy.
- Six types of TTXs-positive cells were identified across both species, with differing concentrations of toxins in various body regions, highlighting unique physiological functions of newly discovered glandular cell types in the intestine.
Assessment of Human Health Impacts from Invasive Pufferfish (Attacks, Poisonings and Fatalities) across the Eastern Mediterranean.
Biology (Basel)
March 2024
Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 576 Vouliagmenis Ave., 16452 Argyroupoli, Greece.
The silver-cheeked toadfish (Gmelin 1789), and to a lesser degree the orange spotted toadfish (Bleeker, 1852), pose threats to human health from physical attacks and poisonings in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This study reviewed human health-related impacts resulting from these pufferfish, compiling and assessing records from online sources, the peer-reviewed literature, medical records, personal interviews, and observations across the Eastern Mediterranean in the years 2004 to 2023. A total of 198 events impacting human health were documented: 28 records of physical attacks, at least 144 non-lethal poisoning episodes, and 27 human fatalities resulting from consumption.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSudden peak in tetrodotoxin in French oysters during the summer of 2021: Source investigation using microscopy, metabarcoding and droplet digital PCR.
Toxicon
May 2024
Cawthron Institute, Private Bag 2, Nelson, 7010, New Zealand.
Article Synopsis
- Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a dangerous neurotoxin found in contaminated seafood, particularly in Pacific oysters in Europe, and its source remains unclear despite extensive research.
- This study aimed to identify potential organisms contributing to TTX contamination in French coastal oysters by using various techniques, including microscopy, metabarcoding, and droplet digital PCR.
- Over three weeks, the study found that TTX levels in oysters exceeded European guidance, with microalgal blooms and specific bacterial communities noted as possible contributors to the toxin's presence.
Japanese Planocerid Flatworms: Difference in Composition of Tetrodotoxin and Its Analogs and the Effects of Ingestion by Toxin-Bearing Fishes in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan.
Mar Biotechnol (NY)
June 2024
Department of Marine Science and Resources, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan.
Article Synopsis
- Tetrodotoxin (TTX), a powerful neurotoxin found in pufferfish, blocks sodium channels in muscle and nerve tissues and has also been found in marine flatworms, indicating bioaccumulation through food webs.
- Research identified that the TTX and its analogs present in the flatworm Planocera multitentaculata were the same as those in the toxic pufferfish Takifugu alboplumbeus, but different from a non-toxic flatworm species.
- A toxification experiment showed that wild pufferfish can reproduce the toxin composition of flatworms when fed certain diets, highlighting the significance of TTX in marine food webs and predator-prey interactions.
Nav1.8 in small dorsal root ganglion neurons contributes to vincristine-induced mechanical allodynia.
Brain
September 2024
Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of vincristine treatment, which is accompanied by pain and can be dose-limiting. The molecular mechanisms that underlie vincristine-induced pain are not well understood. We have established an animal model to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms of vincristine-induced pain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTetrodotoxin and Its Analogues (TTXs) in the Food-Capture and Defense Organs of the Palaeonemertean cf. .
Toxins (Basel)
January 2024
A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, Russia.
Tetrodotoxin (TTX), an extremely potent low-molecular-weight neurotoxin, is widespread among marine animals including ribbon worms (Nemertea). Previously, studies on the highly toxic palaeonemertean cf. showed that toxin-positive structures are present all over its body and are mainly associated with glandular cells and epithelial tissues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Co-evolution between species can create varying traits, but the reasons for these differences across different regions are not well understood, particularly in traits controlled by multiple genes.
- Using simulations based on the newt and garter snake relationship, researchers found that newts have varying levels of toxin depending on the area, while snakes develop resistance, showing a geographic correlation.
- The study indicated that simple co-evolutionary models don't fully explain the observed levels of toxicity and resistance; ecological factors and genetic makeup play a significant role in shaping these dynamics.
Coevolution with toxic prey produces functional trade-offs in sodium channels of predatory snakes.
bioRxiv
December 2023
University of Nevada, Reno, Department of Biology, Reno, Nevada, USA, 89557.
Article Synopsis
- Traits can have molecular mechanisms that link them, leading to trade-offs where improving one trait may hinder another, affecting evolution.
- * In garter snakes, resistance to tetrodotoxin (TTX), a toxin from their newt prey, is achieved through specific mutations in muscle sodium channels, but these mutations also compromise basic sodium functions.
- * These mutations result in reduced muscle performance in the snakes, demonstrating that adaptations for toxin resistance can come with significant costs, impacting their overall effectiveness and evolutionary success in the predator-prey dynamic.
Hydration-induced Void-containing Hydrogels for Encapsulation and Sustained Release of Small Hydrophilic Molecules.
Adv Funct Mater
August 2023
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Convergent Biosciences and Medicine, Alabama Life Research Institute, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
Article Synopsis
- - The study addresses challenges in traditional hydrogel systems for delivering small hydrophilic molecules, such as early drug release and short shelf life due to large mesh sizes and high water content in hydrogels.
- - A new type of hydrogel, called hydration-induced void-containing hydrogel (HVH), is developed using a specific polymer blend that allows for 100% drug encapsulation and sustained release, thanks to micron-sized voids and a dense polymer matrix.
- - The HVH hydrogel is injectably delivered and has shown effective results in animal tests, where a single injection blocking pain in rats lasted up to 10 hours without causing toxicity issues.