Is Yessotoxin the Main Phycotoxin in Croatian Waters?

Živana Ninčević Gladan,Stjepan Orhanović,Alfiero Ceredi,Sanda Skejić,Ivona Marasović,Silvia Pigozzi,Ivana Ujević,Jasna Arapov,Anna Milandri,Igor Isajlović

doi:10.3390/md8030460

Živana Ninčević Gladan, Stjepan Orhanović + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/md8030460

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Abstract

With the aim of investigating whether yessotoxin (YTX) is responsible for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) events in Croatian waters, three different methods were combined: a modified mouse bioassay (MBA) that discriminates YTX from other DSP toxins, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method (ELISA) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Among 453 samples of mussels and seawater analyzed in 2007, 10 samples were DSP positive. Results obtained by the modified MBA method revealed that most of the samples were positive for YTX, with the exception of samples from Lim Bay (LB 1) The ELISA method also identified the presence of YTX in these samples. DSP toxin profiles showed the presence of okadaic acid (OA) in three, and YTX in four out of nine samples that were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The phytoplankton community structure pattern revealed Lingulodinium polyedrum (Stein) Dodge, which was present in the water prior to and/or during toxicity events at low concentrations (80 to 1440 cells L−1), as a potential YTX producing species. It is proposed that L. polyedrum cells accumulated in mussels and the subsequently observed toxicity may be related to metabolism after ingestion, resulting in carboxy YTX as the major analog in the mussel.

Highlights

Microscopic planktonic algae are critical food for filter-feeding shellfish including oysters, mussels, scallops and clams
Investigations have suggested the presence of Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins other than okadaic acid (OA) in shellfish from Croatian waters [3,6,7,8]
From others DSP toxins [14] was used revealed that most of the samples were positive for YTX, except samples from Lim Bay (LB 1) (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Microscopic planktonic algae are critical food for filter-feeding shellfish including oysters, mussels, scallops and clams. Intensive proliferation of phytoplankton cells (so-called algal blooms; up to millions of cells per liter) is beneficial for aquaculture and fishery harvesting. In some situations, algal blooms can cause severe damage to aquaculture and can have an adverse impact on human health. Among the 5000 species of extant marine phytoplankton according to Sournia et al [1], there are about 80 species that have the capacity to produce potent toxins [2], which can, through the food web, have a negative impact on human health and cause a variety of gastrointestinal and neurological illnesses. In Croatian waters, only toxins associated with

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