title: Difference in the localization of tetrodotoxin between the female and male pufferfish Takifugu niphobles, during spawning.
abstract: In order to understand the sexual differences in TTX-usage in the pufferfish, Takifugu niphobles, localization of TTX and toxin amount in tissues of mature male and female specimens were investigated by immunohistochemical methods using anti-TTX antibody and LC/MS analysis. Subsequently, differences in the immunohistochemical signals were compared with the amount of TTX. The paraffin-embedded sections of the skin, muscle, liver, gonad and intestinal tract were subjected to anti-TTX monoclonal antibody based on the fluorescent immunohistochemical techniques. Immuno-positive reaction was observed in the skin and liver in males, and the skin and ovary in females. In the skin, TTX was localized at the epidermis, the basal cell layer, the mucous cells and the sacciform cells, and with intense immunoreaction at the flat epithelial cell layer and the sacciform cells. The signal from the liver cells was stronger in males than in females. The intensity of the signal from the tissues correlated with the toxin amounts therein. These results suggest that tissue distributions of TTX and toxin amount in the pufferfish were sex-dependent.
authors: Department of Marine Science and Resources, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-0880, Japan. sitoi@nihon-u.ac.jp
authors: Shiro
authors: S
authors: Itoi
authors: Saori
authors: S
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: Ryohei
authors: R
authors: Tatsuno
authors: Miwa
authors: M
authors: Suzuki
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Asahina
authors: Shota
authors: S
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Shihori
authors: S
authors: Takanashi
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Takatani
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Arakawa
authors: Yoshitaka
authors: Y
authors: Sakakura
authors: Haruo
authors: H
authors: Sugita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry; D023721:Tetraodontiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D013779:Tetrodotoxin