New Gastropod Vectors and Tetrodotoxin Potential Expansion in Temperate Waters of the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Tetrodotoxin is a potent low weight marine toxin found in warm waters, especially of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Intoxications are usually linked to the consumption of the puffer fish, although TTX was already detected in several different edible taxa. Benthic organisms such as mollusks and echinoderms, with different feeding habits, were collected monthly along the Portuguese coast from the summer of 2009 until the end of 2010. The extraction and analysis techniques were optimized and TTX and some analogues were detected for the first time in two intertidal gastropod species—Gibbula umbilicalis and Monodonta lineata by LC-MS/MS and UPLC-MS/MS. Although the levels are low, these findings suggest that monitoring of TTX and analogues in North Atlantic species should be implemented so as to detect potentially new toxin vectors and seasonal and/or geographical patterns.

Bacterial diversity and tetrodotoxin analysis in the viscera of the gastropods from Portuguese coast

“…At the initial stage TTX producing organisms was found in Indo-Pacific regions only. Besides this geographical limitation a visible increase of TTX vectors such as Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Saoudi et al, 2011), Lagocephalus sceleratus (Katikou et al, 2009;Rodríguez et al, 2012), Charonia lampas lampas (Rodriguez et al, 2008;Silva et al, 2012) occur in the Mediterranean waters and the Atlantic Ocean. The migration of these species may be due to the increase in global temperature (Lasram and Mouillot, 2008) which influenced the growth rate of the toxic organisms and also toxin production rates (Ashton et al, 2003;Chinain et al, 1999).…”

An overview on the origin and production of tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin

“…In fact, a few reports also suggest STX to be the major component of few marine puffers (Sato et al 2000;Nakashima et al 2004). Such variation in toxicity could be because of the changes in aquatic system caused due to global warming (Arakawa et al 2010;Silva et al 2012) making it more susceptible for aquatic organisms to adapt to different environmental conditions. TTX production is not only limited to TTX bearers and their symbiotic bacteria, it is also reported from commonly inhabiting bacterial strains.…”

A roadmap for hazard monitoring and risk assessment of marine biotoxins on the basis of chemical and biological test systems

“…Additionally, there are no regulatory requirements for monitoring cyclic imines in europe despite the fact that these toxins show toxicity similar to other known neurotoxins, e.g., organophosphate pesticides or the chemical warfare agents' sarin, soman, and tabun. In addition, tetrodotoxin (ttx), which is not discussed in detail in this report, is not included in the european regulation, though this toxin class is found also in gastropods of several species (i.e., Charonia lampas lampas, Gibbula umbilicalis, Monodonta lineata (Silva et al, 2012)) and fish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) in the Mediterranean Sea and has recently resulted in severe human intoxications (Bentur et al, 2008;Rodriguez et al, 2012). In contrast, the eC mandates the routine analysis of yessotoxin (Ytx) despite that fact that Ytx was not demonstrated to be acutely toxic when given orally to mice, the putative mechanism of intraperitoneal toxicity in mice being unknown, and there being no reported cases of acute human intoxication due to Ytx exposure.…”