pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Inhalation toxicity of brevetoxin 3 in rats exposed for 5 days - PubMed

  • ️Thu Jan 01 2004

. 2004 Sep 24;67(18):1443-56.

doi: 10.1080/15287390490483809.

Affiliations

Inhalation toxicity of brevetoxin 3 in rats exposed for 5 days

Janet Benson et al. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2004.

Abstract

Brevetoxins are potent neurotoxins produced by the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. Exposure to brevetoxins may occur during a K. brevis red tide when the compounds become aerosolized by wind and surf. This study assesses possible adverse health effects associated with short-term inhalation exposure to brevetoxin 3. Male F344/Crl/Br rats were exposed to 500 microg brevetoxin 3/m3 by nose-only inhalation for 0.5 or 2 h/d for 5 consecutive days. Control rats were sham exposed for 2 h to vehicle. Calculated deposited brevetoxin doses were 8.3 and 33 microg/kg/d for the low- and high-dose groups, respectively. At the termination of exposures, only body weights of the high-dose group (Group B) were significantly below control values. By immunohistochemistry (IHC), small numbers of splenic and peribronchiolar lymphoid tissue macrophages stained positive for brevetoxin, while nasal mucosa, liver, and brain were IHC negative for brevetoxin. No gross or microscopic lesions were observed in any tissue examined. There was no biochemical evidence of cytotoxicity or inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Alveolar macrophages showed some evidence of activation following brevetoxin exposure. Humoral-mediated immunity was suppressed in brevetoxin-exposed rats as indicated by a >70% reduction in splenic plaque-forming cells in brevetoxin-exposed animals compared to controls. Results suggest that the immune system may be a target of toxicity following brevetoxin inhalation. Future studies will focus on identification of a no-effect level and mechanisms underlying brevetoxin-induced immune suppression.

Copyright Taylor & Francis Inc.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1

The structure of brevetoxin 3.

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2

Photomicrograph of a high-dose brevetoxin-exposed rat lung. Small numbers of peribronchiolar lymphoid tissue macrophages are brevetoxin positive. Avidin-peroxidase-biotin method, hematoxylin counterstain, 400X.

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3

Photomicrograph of a high-dose brevetoxin-exposed rat spleen. Small numbers of macrophages are brevetoxin positive. Avidin-peroxidase-biotin method, hematoxylin counterstain, 400X.

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Abraham WM, Ahmed A, Bourdelais AJ, Baden DG. Pathophysiologic Airway Responses to Inhaled Red Tide Brevetoxin in Allergic Sheep. The Toxicologist. 2003;72 S-l:115.
    1. Asai S, Krzanowski JJ, Anderson WH, Martin DF, Polson JB, Lockey RF, Bukantz SC, Szentivanyi A. Effects of the toxin of red tide, Ptychodiscus brevis, on canine tracheal smooth muscle: a possible new asthma-triggering mechanism. J. Allergy Clin Immunol. 1982;69:418–428. - PubMed
    1. Backer LC, Fleming LE, Rowan A, Cheng Y-S, Benson J, Pierce RH, Zaias J, Bean J, Bossart GD, Johnson D, Quimbo R, Baden DG. Recreational exposure to aerosolized brevetoxins during Florida red tide events. Harmful Algae. 2003;2:19–28. - PubMed
    1. Baden DG, Mende JJ, Lichter W, Wellham L. Crystallization and toxicology of T34: a major toxin from Florida’s red tide organism (Ptychodiscus brevis) Toxicon. 1981;19:455–462. - PubMed
    1. Baden DG. Brevetoxins: unique polyether dinoflagellate toxins. FASEB J. 1989;3:1807–1817. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources