Geographic range expansion of tetrodotoxin in amphibians - First record in Atelopus hoogmoedi from the Guiana Shield

Dietrich Mebs; Max Lorentz; Mari Yotsu-Yamashita; Daniela C Rößler; Raffael Ernst; Stefan Lötters

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.05.011

Geographic range expansion of tetrodotoxin in amphibians - First record in Atelopus hoogmoedi from the Guiana Shield

Toxicon. 2018 Aug:150:175-179. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.05.011. Epub 2018 May 19.

Authors

Dietrich Mebs¹, Max Lorentz², Mari Yotsu-Yamashita³, Daniela C Rößler², Raffael Ernst⁴, Stefan Lötters²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Frankfurt, Kennedyallee 104, D-60569, Frankfurt, Germany. Electronic address: mebs@em.uni-frankfurt.de.
² Trier University, Biogeography Department, D-54286, Trier, Germany.
³ Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8572, Japan.
⁴ Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Natural History Collections, Dresden, Königsbrücker Landstraße 159, D-01109, Dresden, Germany.

PMID: 29782950
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.05.011

Abstract

For the first time, alcohol extracts of Atelopus hoogmoedi from the Guiana Shield in Suriname and Guyana were analyzed for the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and of its analogues by high resolution hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. One specimen from Suriname was found to contain TTX and 4-epiTTX. Using a monoclonal antibody-based immunohistochemical staining technique, TTX was localized mainly in the granular glands and epithelium of the skin, but not in internal organs except liver showing weak TTX-positive reaction. In two specimens collected in Guyana, none of the toxins were detected.

Keywords: Atelopus hoogmoedi; Guiana Shield; Monoclonal antibody; Tetrodotoxin; Tissue distribution.

MeSH terms

Animal Distribution
Animals
Bufonidae / physiology*
South America
Tetrodotoxin / metabolism*

Substances

Tetrodotoxin