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Paralytic toxins in a ribbon worm Cephalothrix species (Nemertean) adherent to cultured oysters in Hiroshima Bay,

M Asakawa1, T Toyoshima, Y Shida

  • 1Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan. asakawa@ipc.hiroshima-u.ac.jp

Toxicon : Official Journal of the International Society on Toxinology
|March 1, 2000
PubMed
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Marine ribbon worms (Cephalothrix sp.) found in Hiroshima Bay contain high levels of tetrodotoxin (TTX), a potent neurotoxin. This discovery highlights a new source of TTX contamination in seafood, posing potential risks.

Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Marine Toxicology
  • Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

  • Marine fouling organisms are routinely monitored for toxicity.
  • Cephalothrix sp. (ribbon worms) were observed on cultured oysters in Hiroshima Bay.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize the toxins present in Cephalothrix sp. from Hiroshima Bay.
  • To assess the toxicity of these marine organisms, particularly their paralytic effects.

Main Methods:

  • Toxin extraction using acidified methanol.
  • Defatting with dichloromethane and chromatography on activated charcoal.
  • Analysis of toxic fractions using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Cephalothrix sp. specimens exhibited potent paralytic toxicity in mice, with maximum toxicity reaching 14,734 MU/g (as tetrodotoxin).
  • The identified toxins included tetrodotoxin (TTX), 4-epiTTX, anhydroTTX, and three unknown toxins.
  • This marks the first report of high TTX concentrations in marine ribbon worms associated with cultured bivalves.

Conclusions:

  • Cephalothrix sp. is a significant source of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in Hiroshima Bay.
  • The presence of TTX in these organisms poses a potential risk to consumers of associated shellfish.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the ecological role and origin of TTX in this species.