title: Comparison of mouse bioassay and sodium channel cytotoxicity assay for detecting paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in shellfish extracts.
abstract: A neuroblastoma cell culture assay was used to analyze shellfish extracts for presence of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins (saxitoxins). Results were compared with mouse bioassays performed as part of a screening program for shellfish toxins in New Zealand. Twenty-nine samples gave negative results in both assays. Fifty-seven samples gave positive results in at least one assay. The correlation between the assays for saxitoxin equivalent levels in shellfish was 0.867. In spiking studies on shellfish extracts, the neuroblastoma assay showed a good response to added saxitoxin. Although these results support use of the neuroblastoma assay as a screening procedure for shellfish toxicity, results close to regulatory limits should be confirmed by mouse bioassay.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited, Communicable Disease Centre, Porirua, New Zealand.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Truman
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lake
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000592:standards; D005506:Food Contamination; D016014:Linear Models; D051379:Mice; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D009520:New Zealand; D010042:Ouabain / Q000737:chemistry; D012530:Saxitoxin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D012758:Shellfish / Q000032:analysis*; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014701:Veratridine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D015222:Sodium Channels; D012530:Saxitoxin; D010042:Ouabain; D014701:Veratridine