Abstract
BackgroundSea urchins are animals commonly found on the Brazilian shoreline, being Echinometra lucunter the most abundant species. Accidents caused by E. lucunter have been reported as one of the most frequent in Brazil, and are characterized by intense pain and inflammation, consequence of spine puncture in the skin. In order to characterize such toxic effects, we isolated one molecule that caused inflammatory and nociceptive effects.MethodsE. lucunter specimens were collected without gender distinction. Spines were removed and molecules were extracted, fractionated by RP-HPLC and assayed for inflammatory and nociceptive activity, in a biological-driven fractionation way, until the obtainment of one active molecule and its subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry (MS and MS/MS). For inflammation, intravital microscopy was performed on the mouse cremaster muscle, in order to evaluate rolled, adherent and migrating leukocytes. Paw edema was also evaluated. For the nociceptive activity, the paw pressure test was performed in rats.ResultsOne molecule could be isolated and related to the inflammatory and nociceptive activity. Regarding inflammation, increase in adherent and migrating cells was observed in the cremaster muscle after the administration of the molecule. Corroborating the inflammatory response, paw edema was also observed, although only in 20% of controls and 20 min after injection. Additionally, this molecule was able to decrease significantly the pain threshold, characterizing hyperalgesia. This molecule was analyzed by mass spectrometry, and according to the exact molecular mass, isotopic distribution and fragmentation profile, it was possible to propose the molecular formula C29H48N3O10.ConclusionsOne isolated molecule from the spine extract of E. lucunter is able to elicit inflammation and hypernociception in animal models, which is in agreement with the effects observed in sea urchin accidents.
Highlights
Sea urchins are animals commonly found on the Brazilian shoreline, being Echinometra lucunter the most abundant species
The spine aqueous extract was initially fractionated by solid phase extraction (SPE), eluted by an acetonitrile step gradient
Samples were assayed for inflammatory activity by intravital test on cremaster muscle
Summary
Sea urchins are animals commonly found on the Brazilian shoreline, being Echinometra lucunter the most abundant species. Accidents caused by E. lucunter have been reported as one of the most frequent in Brazil, and are characterized by intense pain and inflammation, consequence of spine puncture in the skin. Echinometra lucunter (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) (Linnaeus, 1758) is the most common and abundant sea urchin species found in Brazil. It is common that the encounter between bathers and the animal generally leads. This characteristic makes this urchin species responsible for approximately 50% of the accidents caused by marine animals in Brazil. It has been reported that spine penetration causes intense and immediate pain, bleeding, erythema, edema and local myalgia [3,4,5].
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