Abstract
Pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae possess tetrodotoxin (TTX) and/or saxitoxins (STXs), but the toxin ratio differs, depending on the genus or species. In the present study, to clarify the distribution profile of TTX and STXs in Tetraodontidae, we investigated the composition and intra-body distribution of the toxins in Canthigaster valentini. C. valentini specimens (four male and six female) were collected from Amami-Oshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, and the toxins were extracted from the muscle, liver, intestine, gallbladder, gonads, and skin. Analysis of the extracts for TTX by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and of STXs by high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column fluorescence derivatization revealed TTX, as well as a large amount of STXs, with neoSTX as the main component and dicarbamoylSTX and STX itself as minor components, in the skin and ovary. The toxins were also detected in the other tissues, but in much lower amounts than in the skin and ovary. The TTX/STX ratio varied greatly, depending on the tissue, but TTX was the major toxin component in the whole body, and STXs accounted for 25% and 13% of the total toxin amount in males and females, respectively. Like the marine pufferfish of the genus Arothron, C. valentini should be considered a pufferfish with considerable amounts of both TTX and STXs present simultaneously.
Highlights
Pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae are generally toxic, but the toxin profile differs, depending on the genus or species
Marine pufferfish of the genus Takifugu inhabiting the coastal waters of Japan possess the potent neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX) as the major toxic component [1]
Sato et al [19] investigated the toxin profile of six marine pufferfish species of the genus Arothron and Chelonodon patoca collected in the Philippines, and reported that they all contain a large amount of STXs in addition to TTX
Summary
Pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae are generally toxic, but the toxin profile differs, depending on the genus or species. Sato et al [19] investigated the toxin profile of six marine pufferfish species of the genus Arothron and Chelonodon patoca collected in the Philippines, and reported that they all contain a large amount of STXs in addition to TTX. Investigated the toxin profile of Arothron firmamentum from Japanese coastal waters, and found that the skin contained only a small amount of TTX, whereas the ovary contained a large amount of toxin, mainly STXs. the marine pufferfish of the genus Arothron has both TTX and STXs at the same time, with STXs often being the main component, making its toxin profile rather close to that of freshwater pufferfish of the genera Pao and Leiodon. Investigated the toxin profile of a pufferfish of the same genus, Canthigaster rivulata, using two individuals of an unknown sex, and detected a trace amount of STXs in addition to the major toxin TTX in the skin. Patch anterior to the anus [25]
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