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Wyrebek R, Fierstein JL, Wells RG, Machry J, Karjoo S. Toxins and Biliary Atresia: Is Karenia Brevis (Red Tide) The Culprit? HARMFUL ALGAE 2024; 133:102596. [PMID: 38485444 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2024.102596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study objective was to evaluate the association between Karenia brevis (K. brevis) exposure during pregnancy and the prevalence of biliary atresia (BA) in offspring. STUDY DESIGN This was a hospital-based, case-control study in which cases were infants diagnosed with BA at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital from October 2001 to December 2019. Cases were matched 1:4 by age to controls who were randomly selected from a pool of healthy infants hospitalized during the study period for common pediatric diagnoses. Infants were excluded if they had congenital anomalies and/or were non-Florida residents. Gestational K. brevis exposure levels (cells/liter) were determined from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission exposure data at 10- and 50 mile radii from the mother's zip code of residence. Multivariable conditional logistic regression determined odds of BA in offspring in relation to maternal gestational K. brevis exposure adjusted for infant sex, race/ethnicity, coastal residence, and seasonality. RESULTS Of 38 cases and 152 controls, no significant inter-group differences were observed for infant race/ethnicity, season of birth, or coastal residence. Median gestational exposure at the 10 mile radius was 0 cells/liter in both groups. A greater proportion of cases had no gestational K. brevis exposure (63.2 %, n = 24) in comparison to controls (37.5 %, n = 57; p = .04) at a 10 mile radius. At a 50 mile radius, cases had a peak median exposure at 6 months of gestation compared to controls' peak at 9 months. After adjustment for sex, seasonality, race/ethnicity, and coastal residence, there was no significant association between BA and maximum K. brevis exposure per trimester of pregnancy observed at a 10- or 50 mile radius. CONCLUSION In this matched case-control study, we observed no association between gestational K. brevis (cells/liter) exposure at a 10- or 50 mile radius from maternal zip code of residence and BA in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Wyrebek
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Department of Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Division of Neonatology, 501 6th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA.
| | - Jamie L Fierstein
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Shared Resource, 501 6th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- University of Pennsylvania, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Joana Machry
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Department of Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Division of Neonatology, 501 6th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Sara Karjoo
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Division of Gastroenterology, 501 6th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
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Weisbrod TC, de Wit M, Hernandez JA, Panike AL, Rotstein D, Stacy NI. Manatee Trichechus manatus latirostris calf mortality in Florida: a retrospective review of pathology data from 2009-2017. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2021; 147:111-126. [PMID: 34913440 DOI: 10.3354/dao03639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High maternal investment and extended inter-calving intervals in Florida manatees Trichechus manatus latirostris make calf survivorship critical to overall population growth. However, detailed patterns of causes of mortality in calves have not been reported and state agency statistics report portions of perinatal mortality based on body length rather than actual cause of death (COD). The objectives of this study were to categorize COD based on necropsy data and geographical location in Florida for 1209 manatee calf carcasses (<236 cm total length) examined between January 2009 and December 2017 and to describe factors contributing to calf mortality. Results indicated COD was attributed to natural causes (47%, n = 573), cold stress syndrome (38%, n = 457), watercraft injury (13%, n = 155), or other human-related causes (2%, n = 24). Natural causes were the leading COD for small calves <151 cm, with death due to stillbirth or dystocia most frequent (48%, n = 273/573). Enteric trematodiasis contributed to a large proportion of deaths from natural causes in large calves within the southwest region of Florida, with an increasing annual trend. Brevetoxicosis contributed substantially to natural causes within the southwest region exclusively and was commonly comorbid with enteric trematodiasis. Cold stress syndrome was the leading cause of death for large calves (151-235 cm), with the Atlantic region having the highest proportion of cases. Watercraft injury was a sustained threat to large calves, especially within the southwest region. This report provides details on specific health threats and patterns of mortality among manatee calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana C Weisbrod
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32608, USA
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Diaz RE, Friedman MA, Jin D, Beet A, Kirkpatrick B, Reich A, Kirkpatrick G, Ullmann SG, Fleming LE, Hoagland P. Neurological illnesses associated with Florida red tide (Karenia brevis) blooms. HARMFUL ALGAE 2019; 82:73-81. [PMID: 30928012 PMCID: PMC9933543 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Human respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses can result from exposures to brevetoxins originating from coastal Florida red tide blooms, comprising the marine alga Karenia brevis (K. brevis). Only limited research on the extent of human health risks and illness costs due to K. brevis blooms has been undertaken to date. Because brevetoxins are known neurotoxins that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier, it is possible that exposure to brevetoxins may be associated with neurological illnesses. This study explored whether K. brevis blooms may be associated with increases in the numbers of emergency department visits for neurological illness. An exposure-response framework was applied to test the effects of K. brevis blooms on human health, using secondary data from diverse sources. After controlling for resident population, seasonal and annual effects, significant increases in emergency department visits were found specifically for headache (ICD-9 784.0) as a primary diagnosis during proximate coastal K. brevis blooms. In particular, an increased risk for older residents (≥55 years) was identified in the coastal communities of six southwest Florida counties during K. brevis bloom events. The incidence of headache associated with K. brevis blooms showed a small but increasing association with K. brevis cell densities. Rough estimates of the costs of this illness were developed for hypothetical bloom occurrences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Efrain Diaz
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | | | - Di Jin
- Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Beet
- Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Barbara Kirkpatrick
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Andrew Reich
- Aquatic Toxins Program, Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | | | - Steven G Ullmann
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
| | - Lora E Fleming
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, Cornwall, UK
| | - Porter Hoagland
- Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
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Perrault JR, Bauman KD, Greenan TM, Blum PC, Henry MS, Walsh CJ. Maternal transfer and sublethal immune system effects of brevetoxin exposure in nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from western Florida. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2016; 180:131-140. [PMID: 27716578 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2016.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Blooms of Karenia brevis (also called red tides) occur almost annually in the Gulf of Mexico. The health effects of the neurotoxins (i.e., brevetoxins) produced by this toxic dinoflagellate on marine turtles are poorly understood. Florida's Gulf Coast represents an important foraging and nesting area for a number of marine turtle species. Most studies investigating brevetoxin exposure in marine turtles thus far focus on dead and/or stranded individuals and rarely examine the effects in apparently "healthy" free-ranging individuals. From May-July 2014, one year after the last red tide bloom, we collected blood from nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) on Casey Key, Florida USA. These organisms show both strong nesting and foraging site fidelity. The plasma was analyzed for brevetoxin concentrations in addition to a number of health and immune-related parameters in an effort to establish sublethal effects of this toxin. Lastly, from July-September 2014, we collected unhatched eggs and liver and yolk sacs from dead-in-nest hatchlings from nests laid by the sampled females and tested these samples for brevetoxin concentrations to determine maternal transfer and effects on reproductive success. Using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), all plasma samples from nesting females tested positive for brevetoxin (reported as ng brevetoxin-3[PbTx-3] equivalents [eq]/mL) exposure (2.1-26.7ng PbTx-3eq/mL). Additionally, 100% of livers (1.4-13.3ng PbTx-3eq/mL) and yolk sacs (1.7-6.6ng PbTx-3eq/mL) from dead-in-nest hatchlings and 70% of eggs (<1.0-24.4ng PbTx-3eq/mL) tested positive for brevetoxin exposure with the ELISA. We found that plasma brevetoxin concentrations determined by an ELISA in nesting females positively correlated with gamma-globulins, indicating a potential for immunomodulation as a result of brevetoxin exposure. While the sample sizes were small, we also found that plasma brevetoxin concentrations determined by an ELISA in nesting females significantly correlated with liver brevetoxin concentrations of dead-in-nest hatchlings and that brevetoxins could be related to a decreased reproductive success in this species. This study suggests that brevetoxins can still elicit negative effects on marine life long after a bloom has dissipated. These results improve our understanding of maternal transfer and sublethal effects of brevetoxin exposure in marine turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin R Perrault
- Marine Immunology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA.
| | - Katherine D Bauman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Middlebury College, 14 Old Chapel Road, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA.
| | - Taylor M Greenan
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, 8350 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243, USA.
| | - Patricia C Blum
- Marine Immunology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA.
| | - Michael S Henry
- Marine Immunology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA.
| | - Catherine J Walsh
- Marine Immunology Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA.
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Rolton A, Vignier J, Volety AK, Pierce RH, Henry M, Shumway SE, Bricelj VM, Hégaret H, Soudant P. Effects of field and laboratory exposure to the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis on the reproduction of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, and subsequent development of offspring. HARMFUL ALGAE 2016; 57:13-26. [PMID: 30170718 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2016.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Blooms of the brevetoxin-producing dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, are a recurrent and sometimes devastating phenomenon in the Gulf of Mexico. The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, is exposed regularly to these blooms, yet little is known about the impacts of K. brevis upon this important species. The present study considered the effects of exposure to both a natural bloom and cultured K. brevis on the reproductive development of C. virginica. Oysters had been exposed to a bloom of K. brevis that occurred in Lee County, Florida, from September 2012 through May 2013, during a period of gametogenesis and gamete ripening. Ripe adult oysters were collected from this bloom-exposed site and from a site 200 miles north which was not exposed to any bloom. In addition, responses to two 10-day laboratory exposures of either unripe or ripe adult oysters to whole cells of K. brevis at high bloom concentrations (1000 and 5000cellsmL-1) were determined. Both field- and laboratory-exposed adult oysters accumulated PbTx (attaining ∼22×103ngg-1 and 922ngg-1 PbTx-3 equivalents in the laboratory and the field, respectively), and significant mucal, edematous, and inflammatory features, indicative of a defense response, were recorded in adult tissues in direct contact with K. brevis cells. Laboratory-exposed oysters also showed an increase in the total number of circulating hemocytes suggesting that: (1) new hemocytes may be moving to sites of tissue inflammation, or, (2) hemocytes are released into the circulatory system from inflamed tissues where they may be produced. The area of oyster tissue occupied by gonad (representative of reproductive effort) and reactive oxygen species production in the spermatozoa of oysters exposed to the natural bloom of K. brevis were significantly lower compared to oysters that were not exposed to K. brevis. Additionally, following 10-day exposure of ripe oysters, a significant, 46% reduction in the prevalence of individuals with ripe gametes was obtained in the 5000cellsmL-1K. brevis treatment. Brevetoxin (PbTx) was recorded within the spermatozoa and oocytes of naturally exposed oysters and was estimated to be 18 and 26% of the adult PbTx load, respectively. Larvae derived from gametes containing PbTx showed significantly higher mortalities and attained a smaller larval size for the first 6 days post-fertilization. These negative effects on larval development may be due to the presence of PbTx in the lipid droplets of the oocytes, which is mobilized by the larvae during embryonic and lecithotrophic larval development. Provision of a non-contaminated food source to larvae however, appeared to mitigate the early negative effects of this neonatal PbTx exposure. Results herein show that adult eastern oysters and their offspring are susceptible to exposure to K. brevis. Caution should therefore be exercised when identifying oyster reef restoration areas and in efforts to establish aquaculture in areas prone to red tides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Rolton
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale-IUEM, LEMAR CNRS UMR 6539, Place Nicolas Copernic, Technopôle Brest Iroise, 29280 Plouzané, France; Florida Gulf Coast University, College of Arts and Sciences, 10501 FGCU Blvd South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, United States
| | - Julien Vignier
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale-IUEM, LEMAR CNRS UMR 6539, Place Nicolas Copernic, Technopôle Brest Iroise, 29280 Plouzané, France; Florida Gulf Coast University, College of Arts and Sciences, 10501 FGCU Blvd South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, United States
| | - Aswani K Volety
- Florida Gulf Coast University, College of Arts and Sciences, 10501 FGCU Blvd South, Fort Myers, FL 33965, United States.
| | - Richard H Pierce
- The Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, United States
| | - Michael Henry
- The Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, United States
| | - Sandra E Shumway
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, 1080 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, United States
| | - V Monica Bricelj
- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences and Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, 6959 Miller Avenue, Port Norris, NJ 08349, United States
| | - Hélène Hégaret
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale-IUEM, LEMAR CNRS UMR 6539, Place Nicolas Copernic, Technopôle Brest Iroise, 29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Philippe Soudant
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale-IUEM, LEMAR CNRS UMR 6539, Place Nicolas Copernic, Technopôle Brest Iroise, 29280 Plouzané, France
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Munday R, Reeve J. Risk assessment of shellfish toxins. Toxins (Basel) 2013; 5:2109-37. [PMID: 24226039 PMCID: PMC3847717 DOI: 10.3390/toxins5112109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Complex secondary metabolites, some of which are highly toxic to mammals, are produced by many marine organisms. Some of these organisms are important food sources for marine animals and, when ingested, the toxins that they produce may be absorbed and stored in the tissues of the predators, which then become toxic to animals higher up the food chain. This is a particular problem with shellfish, and many cases of poisoning are reported in shellfish consumers each year. At present, there is no practicable means of preventing uptake of the toxins by shellfish or of removing them after harvesting. Assessment of the risk posed by such toxins is therefore required in order to determine levels that are unlikely to cause adverse effects in humans and to permit the establishment of regulatory limits in shellfish for human consumption. In the present review, the basic principles of risk assessment are described, and the progress made toward robust risk assessment of seafood toxins is discussed. While good progress has been made, it is clear that further toxicological studies are required before this goal is fully achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rex Munday
- AgResearch Ltd, Ruakura Research Centre, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +64-7-838-5138; Fax: +64-7-838-5012
| | - John Reeve
- Ministry of Primary Industries, PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand; E-Mail:
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Twiner MJ, Flewelling LJ, Fire SE, Bowen-Stevens SR, Gaydos JK, Johnson CK, Landsberg JH, Leighfield TA, Mase-Guthrie B, Schwacke L, Van Dolah FM, Wang Z, Rowles TK. Comparative analysis of three brevetoxin-associated bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) mortality events in the Florida Panhandle region (USA). PLoS One 2012; 7:e42974. [PMID: 22916189 PMCID: PMC3419745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Florida Panhandle region, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have been highly susceptible to large-scale unusual mortality events (UMEs) that may have been the result of exposure to blooms of the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis and its neurotoxin, brevetoxin (PbTx). Between 1999 and 2006, three bottlenose dolphin UMEs occurred in the Florida Panhandle region. The primary objective of this study was to determine if these mortality events were due to brevetoxicosis. Analysis of over 850 samples from 105 bottlenose dolphins and associated prey items were analyzed for algal toxins and have provided details on tissue distribution, pathways of trophic transfer, and spatial-temporal trends for each mortality event. In 1999/2000, 152 dolphins died following extensive K. brevis blooms and brevetoxin was detected in 52% of animals tested at concentrations up to 500 ng/g. In 2004, 105 bottlenose dolphins died in the absence of an identifiable K. brevis bloom; however, 100% of the tested animals were positive for brevetoxin at concentrations up to 29,126 ng/mL. Dolphin stomach contents frequently consisted of brevetoxin-contaminated menhaden. In addition, another potentially toxigenic algal species, Pseudo-nitzschia, was present and low levels of the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) were detected in nearly all tested animals (89%). In 2005/2006, 90 bottlenose dolphins died that were initially coincident with high densities of K. brevis. Most (93%) of the tested animals were positive for brevetoxin at concentrations up to 2,724 ng/mL. No DA was detected in these animals despite the presence of an intense DA-producing Pseudo-nitzschia bloom. In contrast to the absence or very low levels of brevetoxins measured in live dolphins, and those stranding in the absence of a K. brevis bloom, these data, taken together with the absence of any other obvious pathology, provide strong evidence that brevetoxin was the causative agent involved in these bottlenose dolphin mortality events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Twiner
- Marine Biotoxins Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
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Fleming LE, Kirkpatrick B, Backer LC, Walsh CJ, Nierenberg K, Clark J, Reich A, Hollenbeck J, Benson J, Cheng YS, Naar J, Pierce R, Bourdelais AJ, Abraham WM, Kirkpatrick G, Zaias J, Wanner A, Mendes E, Shalat S, Hoagland P, Stephan W, Bean J, Watkins S, Clarke T, Byrne M, Baden DG. Review of Florida Red Tide and Human Health Effects. HARMFUL ALGAE 2011; 10:224-233. [PMID: 21218152 PMCID: PMC3014608 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2010.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the literature describing research performed over the past decade on the known and possible exposures and human health effects associated with Florida red tides. These harmful algal blooms are caused by the dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, and similar organisms, all of which produce a suite of natural toxins known as brevetoxins. Florida red tide research has benefited from a consistently funded, long term research program, that has allowed an interdisciplinary team of researchers to focus their attention on this specific environmental issue-one that is critically important to Gulf of Mexico and other coastal communities. This long-term interdisciplinary approach has allowed the team to engage the local community, identify measures to protect public health, take emerging technologies into the field, forge advances in natural products chemistry, and develop a valuable pharmaceutical product. The Review includes a brief discussion of the Florida red tide organisms and their toxins, and then focuses on the effects of these toxins on animals and humans, including how these effects predict what we might expect to see in exposed people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lora E Fleming
- NSF NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149
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Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning. Mar Drugs 2008; 6:431-55. [PMID: 19005578 PMCID: PMC2579735 DOI: 10.3390/md20080021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2008] [Revised: 06/17/2008] [Accepted: 06/24/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP) is caused by consumption of molluscan shellfish contaminated with brevetoxins primarily produced by the dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis. Blooms of K. brevis, called Florida red tide, occur frequently along the Gulf of Mexico. Many shellfish beds in the US (and other nations) are routinely monitored for presence of K. brevis and other brevetoxin-producing organisms. As a result, few NSP cases are reported annually from the US. However, infrequent larger outbreaks do occur. Cases are usually associated with recreationally-harvested shellfish collected during or post red tide blooms. Brevetoxins are neurotoxins which activate voltage-sensitive sodium channels causing sodium influx and nerve membrane depolarization. No fatalities have been reported, but hospitalizations occur. NSP involves a cluster of gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms: nausea and vomiting, paresthesias of the mouth, lips and tongue as well as distal paresthesias, ataxia, slurred speech and dizziness. Neurological symptoms can progress to partial paralysis; respiratory distress has been recorded. Recent research has implicated new species of harmful algal bloom organisms which produce brevetoxins, identified additional marine species which accumulate brevetoxins, and has provided additional information on the toxicity and analysis of brevetoxins. A review of the known epidemiology and recommendations for improved NSP prevention are presented.
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Effects of in vitro brevetoxin exposure on apoptosis and cellular metabolism in a leukemic T cell line (Jurkat). Mar Drugs 2008; 6:291-307. [PMID: 18728729 PMCID: PMC2525491 DOI: 10.3390/md20080014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2008] [Revised: 05/27/2008] [Accepted: 06/04/2008] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) of the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, produce red tide toxins, or brevetoxins. Significant health effects associated with red tide toxin exposure have been reported in sea life and in humans, with brevetoxins documented within immune cells from many species. The objective of this research was to investigate potential immunotoxic effects of brevetoxins using a leukemic T cell line (Jurkat) as an in vitro model system. Viability, cell proliferation, and apoptosis assays were conducted using brevetoxin congeners PbTx-2, PbTx-3, and PbTx-6. The effects of in vitro brevetoxin exposure on cell viability and cellular metabolism or proliferation were determined using trypan blue and MTT (1-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-3,5-diphenylformazan), respectively. Using MTT, cellular metabolic activity was decreased in Jurkat cells exposed to 5 - 10 microg/ml PbTx-2 or PbTx-6. After 3 h, no significant effects on cell viability were observed with any toxin congener in concentrations up to 10 microg/ml. Viability decreased dramatically after 24 h in cells treated with PbTx-2 or -6. Apoptosis, as measured by caspase-3 activity, was significantly increased in cells exposed to PbTx-2 or PbTx-6. In summary, brevetoxin congeners varied in effects on Jurkat cells, with PbTx-2 and PbTx-6 eliciting greater cellular effects compared to PbTx-3.
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Effects of in vitro Brevetoxin Exposure on Apoptosis and Cellular Metabolism in a Leukemic T Cell Line (Jurkat). Mar Drugs 2008. [DOI: 10.3390/md6020291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Paul VJ, Arthur KE, Ritson-Williams R, Ross C, Sharp K. Chemical defenses: from compounds to communities. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2007; 213:226-251. [PMID: 18083964 DOI: 10.2307/25066642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Marine natural products play critical roles in the chemical defense of many marine organisms and in some cases can influence the community structure of entire ecosystems. Although many marine natural products have been studied for biomedical activity, yielding important information about their biochemical effects and mechanisms of action, much less is known about ecological functions. The way in which marine consumers perceive chemical defenses can influence their health and survival and determine whether some natural products persist through a food chain. This article focuses on selected marine natural products, including okadaic acid, brevetoxins, lyngbyatoxin A, caulerpenyne, bryostatins, and isocyano terpenes, and examines their biosynthesis (sometimes by symbiotic microorganisms), mechanisms of action, and biological and ecological activity. We selected these compounds because their impacts on marine organisms and communities are some of the best-studied among marine natural products. We discuss the effects of these compounds on consumer behavior and physiology, with an emphasis on neuroecology. In addition to mediating a variety of trophic interactions, these compounds may be responsible for community-scale ecological impacts of chemically defended organisms, such as shifts in benthic and pelagic community composition. Our examples include harmful algal blooms; the invasion of the Mediterranean by Caulerpa taxifolia; overgrowth of coral reefs by chemically rich macroalgae and cyanobacteria; and invertebrate chemical defenses, including the role of microbial symbionts in compound production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie J Paul
- Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, 701 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34949, USA.
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