title: Two new actions of sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) nematocyst venom: studies on the mechanism of actions on complement activation and on the central nervous system.
abstract: Chrysaora quinquecirrha (sea nettle) nematocyst venom is lethal to rainbow killifish (Adina xenica) when injected intraperitoneally or topically applied to the exposed brain or denuded epithelium. The lethal activity is thermostable requiring 100 degrees C heat for inactivation. This paper reports here for the first time that the venom also activates the complement system with the subsequent formation of the C5b-9 terminal complement complex. The events are associated with both a strong chemoattractant release and the tissue damage. These are also, at least in part, responsible for the pathogenesis of some clinical signs and symptoms associated to the jellyfish stings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Takatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vucenik
authors.forename: Abulkalam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamsuddin
authors.forename: Florin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Niculescu
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Burnett
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003532:Cyprinodontiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D011817:Rabbits; D037441:Sea Nettle, East Coast / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003064:Cnidarian Venoms