M. C. Louzao

Actin cytoskeleton of rabbit intestinal cells is a target for potent marine phycotoxins.

SUMMARY Biotoxins produced by harmful marine microalgae (phycotoxins) can be accumulated into seafood, representing a great risk for public health. Some of these phycotoxins are responsible for a variety of gastrointestinal disturbances; however, the relationship between their mechanism of action and toxicity in intestinal cells is still unknown. The actin cytoskeleton is an important and highly complicated structure in intestinal cells, and on that basis our aim has been to investigate the effect of representative phycotoxins on the enterocyte cytoskeleton. We have quantified for the first time the loss of enterocyte microfilament network induced by each toxin and recorded fluorescence images using a laser-scanning cytometer and confocal microscopy. Our data show that pectenotoxin-6, maitotoxin, palytoxin and ostreocin-D cause a significant reduction in the actin cytoskeleton. In addition, we found that the potency of maitotoxin, palytoxin and ostreocin-D to damage filamentous actin is related to Ca2+ influx in enterocytes. Those results identify the cytoskeleton as an early target for the toxic effect of those toxins.

Fluorescent microplate cell assay to measure uptake and metabolism of glucose in normal human lung fibroblasts

This is the first report of a fluorimetric microplate assay to assess glucose uptake and metabolism in eukaryotic cells. The assay was carried out incubating normal human lung fibroblasts in the wells of microtiter trays with a fluorescent D-glucose derivative, 2-N-7-(nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-NBDG). This dye could be incorporated by glucose transporting systems in living cells. Substrate uptake was determined by analysing the data obtained with a fluorescence microplate reader. Variables studied in the development of the assay included dye concentration and incubation period. We found that this cell assay is very sensitive, reproducible, provides fast results and graphical display of data. It requires small sample volumes and allows handling of a large number of samples simultaneously. Okadaic acid was used to assess this microplate assay in the field of cytotoxicity. This diarrhetic shellfish toxin is a tumour promoter and a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A. The exposition of cells to okadaic acid (0.1 nM-1 microM) at different time intervals causes a decrease in intracellular glucose (40-50% over controls). Results obtained with okadaic acid are the starting point to evaluate application of the method to routine toxicity probes.

Effect of signal transduction pathways on the action of thapsigargin on rat mast cells : crosstalks between cellular signalling and cytosolic pH

Thapsigargin elicits histamine release on rat mast cells, and this effect is increased if cells are pretreated with thapsigargin before the addition of external calcium. Okadaic acid does not modify the response of mast cells to thapsigargin, while sodium fluoride or the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) increases several fold the sensitivity of cells to thapsigargin. On the other hand, pertussis and cholera toxins inhibit the response to thapsigargin. Thapsigargin increases the activity of the Na(+)-H+ exchanger, this effect being blocked by fluoride and not modified by TPA. The metals cadmium and lanthanum completely block the effect of TPA or thapsigargin on the Na(+)-H+ exchanger. The influx of 45Ca in rat mast cells is not modified by thapsigargin, but if cells are treated with thapsigargin before the addition of calcium, the influx is markedly increased in the first 2 min before returning to normal. Our results indicate that exocytosis is modulated by crosstalks between intracellular calcium, cytosolic pH and external calcium.

Influence of protein kinase C, cAMP and phosphatase activity on histamine release produced by compound 48/80 and sodium fluoride on rat mast cells

We have studied the effect of protein kinase C and protein kinase A activation, and phosphatase inhibition on two different stimuli with distinct mechanisms of action. The first stimulus is compound 48/80, and its action is mediated probably by a Gi-protein, while the other is sodium fluoride, which unspecifically activates G-proteins. We established a comparative study because the action of compound 48/80 is calcium-independent, while fluoride is strictly calcium-dependent. The activation of protein kinase C was attained with the phorbol esther 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, protein kinase A was activated by increasing cAMP levels with forskolin or rolipram, and the phosphatase activity was inhibited with okadaic acid (OA), which inhibits phosphatases type 1 and 2A. Our results show that OA enhances the response to fluoride and compound 48/80 in the absence of calcium, and we conclude that calcium has a negative feedback role on the cell response. Protein kinase A activation strongly inhibits the response to fluoride, and the results show a positive regulation of protein kinase C and a negative regulation of protein kinase A over fluoride response. As previously reported by other authors for the ionophore A23187, TPA notably potentiates the response to fluoride, which supports its possible modulatory role on extracellular calcium-dependent stimuli.

Cytoskeletal toxicity of pectenotoxins in hepatic cells

Pectenotoxins are macrocyclic lactones found in dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis, which induce severe liver damage in mice after i.p. injection. Here, we have looked for the mechanism(s) underlying this hepatotoxicity.

Effect of okadaic acid on immunologic and non-immunologic histamine release in rat mast cells

We have studied the effect of the protein phosphatase (PP) inhibitor, okadaic acid (OKA) on histamine release elicited by immunologic and non-immunologic stimuli in peritoneal and pleural rat mast cells. When cells were stimulated with antigen (egg albumin), OKA strongly inhibited histamine release. This finding suggests that PP1 and PP2A substrates mediate immunoglobulin E-(IgE) dependent secretion in mast cells. In contrast, after non-immunologic activation of mast cells with different drugs, such as the neuropeptide growth hormone releasing factor (GRF) and the cytostatic agents Adriamycin, navelbine and mitoxantrone, there is no effect of OKA on histamine secretion. These results indicate that IgE-dependent secretion is mediated by substrates of PP1 and PP2A, whereas following non-immunological stimuli, they activate pathways that lead to protein phosphorylation; these proteins are not substrates of PP1 and PP2A.

Effect of Okadaic Acid on Glucose Regulation

Okadaic acid is the main toxin responsible for the natural phenomena known as diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP). This toxin is a tumor promoter C38 polyether fatty acid that contains acidic and hydrophobic moieties and is cyclic. Okadaic acid is a potent inhibitor of important classes of protein serine/threonine phosphatases such as protein phosphatase 1 and 2A. The toxin binds in a hydrophobic groove adjacent to the active site of the protein phosphatases and interacts with basic residues within the active site. Therefore okadaic acid causes increases in phosphorylation of proteins that affect a diverse array of cellular processes. For instance, this toxin modulates metabolic parameters in intact cells. In this sense it stimulates lipolysis, and inhibits fatty acid synthesis in adipocytes however increases glucose output and gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes. Additionally, okadaic acid reaches cytotoxic concentrations in the intestinal tissues in accordance with the diarrhea. Recent studies suggested that toxic effects of okadaic acid might be related to modification of nutrients, ionic and water absorption across the small intestine presumably by altering the transporter system. The subject of this review is limited to the effect of okadaic acid on glucose regulation and its cellular as well as clinical implications.

Palytoxin detection and quantification using the fluorescence polarization technique.

Palytoxin (PLT) is a highly toxic nonpeptidic marine natural product, with a complex chemical structure. Its mechanism of action targets Na,K-ATPase. Fluorescence polarization (FP) is a spectroscopic technique that can be used to determine molecular interactions. It is based on exciting a fluorescent molecule with plane-polarized light and measuring the polarization degree of the emitted light. In this study, FP was used to develop a detection method based on the interaction between the Na,K-ATPase and the PLT. The Na,K-ATPase was labeled with a reactive succinimidyl esther of carboxyfluorescein, and the FP of protein-dye conjugate was measured when the amount of PLT in the medium was modified. The assay protocol was first developed using ouabain as a binding molecule. The final result was a straight line that correlates FP units and PLT concentration. Within this line the PLT equivalents in a natural sample can be quantified. A selective cleaning procedure to mussel samples and dinoflagellates cultures was also developed to avoid the matrix effect. The LOQ (limit of quantification) of the method is 10nM and the LOD (limit of detection) is 2 nM. This new PLT detection method is easier, faster, and more reliable than the other methods described to date.

Experimental Basis for the High Oral Toxicity of Dinophysistoxin 1: A Comparative Study of DSP

Okadaic acid (OA) and its analogues, dinophysistoxin 1 (DTX1) and dinophysistoxin 2 (DTX2), are lipophilic and heat-stable marine toxins produced by dinoflagellates, which can accumulate in filter-feeding bivalves. These toxins cause diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in humans shortly after the ingestion of contaminated seafood. Studies carried out in mice indicated that DSP poisonous are toxic towards experimental animals with a lethal oral dose 2–10 times higher than the intraperitoneal (i.p.) lethal dose. The focus of this work was to study the absorption of OA, DTX1 and DTX2 through the human gut barrier using differentiated Caco-2 cells. Furthermore, we compared cytotoxicity parameters. Our data revealed that cellular viability was not compromised by toxin concentrations up to 1 μM for 72 h. Okadaic acid and DTX2 induced no significant damage; nevertheless, DTX1 was able to disrupt the integrity of Caco-2 monolayers at concentrations above 50 nM. In addition, confocal microscopy imaging confirmed that the tight-junction protein, occludin, was affected by DTX1. Permeability assays revealed that only DTX1 was able to significantly cross the intestinal epithelium at concentrations above 100 nM. These data suggest a higher oral toxicity of DTX1 compared to OA and DTX2.

Ostreocin-D Impact on Globular Actin of Intact Cells

Ostreocin-D, discovered in the past decade, is a marine toxin produced by dinoflagellates. It shares structure with palytoxin, a toxic compound responsible for the seafood intoxication named clupeotoxism. At the cellular level, the action sites and pharmacological effects for ostreocin-D are still almost unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that these toxins change the filamentous actin cytoskeleton, which is essential for multiple cellular functions. However, nothing has yet been reported about what happens with the unpolymerized actin pool. Here (i) the effects induced by ostreocin-D on unpolymerized actin, (ii) the Ca2+ role in such a process, and (iii) the cytotoxic activity of ostreocin-D on the human neuroblastoma BE(2)-M17 cell line are shown for the first time. Fluorescently labeled DNase I was used for staining of monomeric actin prior to detection with both laser-scanning cytometry and confocal microscopy techniques. Cellular viability was tested through a microplate metabolic activity assay. Ostreocin-D elicited a rearrangement of monomeric actin toward the nuclear region. This event was not accompanied by changes in its content. In addition, the presence or absence of external Ca2+ did not change these results. This toxin was also found to cause a decrease in the viability of neuroblastoma cells, which was inhibited by the specific blocker of Na+/K+-ATPase, ouabain. All these responses were comparable to those obtained with palytoxin under identical conditions. The data suggest that ostreocin-D modulates the unassembled actin pool, activating signal transduction pathways not related to Ca2+ influx in the same way as palytoxin.