title: Effect of ciguatoxin 3C on voltage-gated Na+ and K+ currents in mouse taste cells.
abstract: The marine dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus produces highly lipophilic, polycyclic ether toxins that cause a seafood poisoning called ciguatera. Ciguatoxins (CTXs) and gambierol represent the two major causative agents of ciguatera intoxication, which include taste alterations (dysgeusiae). However, information on the mode of action of ciguatera toxins in taste cells is scarce. Here, we have studied the effect of synthetic CTX3C (a CTX congener) on mouse taste cells. By using the patch-clamp technique to monitor membrane ion currents, we found that CTX3C markedly affected the operation of voltage-gated Na(+) channels but was ineffective on voltage-gated K(+) channels. This result was the exact opposite of what we obtained earlier with gambierol, which inhibits K(+) channels but not Na(+) channels. Thus, CTXs and gambierol affect with high potency the operation of separate classes of voltage-gated ion channels in taste cells. Our data suggest that taste disturbances reported in ciguatera poisoning might be due to the ability of ciguatera toxins to interfere with ion channels in taste buds.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41100 Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ghiaroni
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fuwa
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirama
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasumoto
authors.forename: Gian Paolo
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scalera
authors.forename: Albertino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bigiani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002922:Ciguatoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000187:drug effects; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D035964:Oxocins
chemical_list: D002922:Ciguatoxins; D004988:Ethers, Cyclic; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D015222:Sodium Channels; C466858:ciguatoxin 3C; C435770:gambierol; D035964:Oxocins