Ultrastructural damage to heart tissue from repeated oral exposure to yessotoxin resolves in 3 months

Toxicon. 2008 Jun 1;51(7):1225-35. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2008.02.011. Epub 2008 Feb 26.

Abstract

Yessotoxin (YTX), an algal toxin contaminating edible shellfish, was previously shown to induce ultrastructural changes in some cardiac muscle cells of mice after acute (1 and 2mg/kg) or daily repeated oral exposure (1 and 2mg/kg/day, for 7 days). Therefore, the temporal evolution of the ultrastructural myocardial alterations and the development of other signs of toxicity induced by a repeated daily oral administration of YTX (1mg/kg/day, for 7 days) to mice were evaluated within 3 months after the treatment. Symptoms, food consumption, body weight, gross pathology and histopathology of the main organs and tissues were observed, and plasma levels of transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine and creatinine phosphokinase were measured. Heart, liver, kidneys and cerebellum were also analysed by transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the blood concentration of YTX was determined by a direct enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 24h after the last toxin administration. No mortality or other treatment-related changes, including histological or hematoclinical parameters, were recorded in mice administered with YTX. Similarly, electron microscopy did not reveal any ultrastructural alteration in the liver, kidneys, and cerebellum associated with YTX treatment. In contrast, changes in cardiac muscle cells near to the capillaries (clusters of rounded mitochondria and disorganization of myofibrils) were observed 24h after the treatment. These changes were also noted 30 days after the toxin administration, while after 90 days no differences in cardiac muscle cells between control and YTX-treated mice were observed, which indicated a recovery of the ultrastructural alterations induced by the toxin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Dinoflagellida / chemistry*
  • Eating / drug effects
  • Female
  • Heart / drug effects*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Mitochondria, Heart / drug effects
  • Mitochondria, Heart / ultrastructure
  • Mollusk Venoms
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / drug effects*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / ultrastructure
  • Myofibrils / drug effects
  • Myofibrils / ultrastructure
  • Oxocins / blood
  • Oxocins / toxicity*
  • Recovery of Function
  • Toxicity Tests
  • Withholding Treatment

Substances

  • Mollusk Venoms
  • Oxocins
  • yessotoxin