title: Liver damage by the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) lethal factor.
abstract: Upon autopsy of mice injected with the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) lethal factor, a change in color of the liver, swelling of the gall bladder and jaundice were observed. After administration of the lethal factor into mice, activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly elevated in serum. Hepatic ALP also increased markedly but hepatic GOT, GPT and ACP showed a tendency to decrease. Activity of hepatic LDH first decreased and then returned to control level. Histopathological studies showed that severe degenerative changes such as enlargement and necrosis of hepatocytes were caused in the mouse liver by the lethal factor. These results strongly suggested that the A. planci lethal factor is a potent hepatotoxin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Fisheries, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiomi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000633:toxicity*; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones / Q000633:toxicity*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D013215:Starfish; D014688:Venoms
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones; D014688:Venoms