New Typical Vector of Neurotoxin β-N-Methylamino-l-Alanine (BMAA) in the Marine Benthic Ecosystem.
The neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) has been identified as an environmental factor triggering neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated the possible vectors of BMAA and its isomers 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) andN-2(aminoethyl)glycine (AEG) in marine mollusks collected from the Chinese coast. Sixty-eight samples of marine mollusks were collected along the Chinese coast in 2016, and were analyzed by an HILIC-MS/MS (hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer) method without derivatization. BMAA was detected in a total of five samples from three species:Neverita didyma,Solen strictus, andMytilus coruscus. The top three concentrations of free-form BMAA (0.99~3.97 μg·g-1wet weight) were detected inN. didyma. DAB was universally detected in most of the mollusk samples (53/68) with no species-specific or regional differences (0.051~2.65 μg·g-1wet weight). No AEG was detected in any mollusk samples tested here. The results indicate that the gastropodN. didymamight be an important vector of the neurotoxin BMAA in the Chinese marine ecosystem. The neurotoxin DAB was universally present in marine bivalve and gastropod mollusks. SinceN. didymais consumed by humans, we suggest that the origin and risk of BMAA and DAB toxins in the marine ecosystem should be further investigated in the future.
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. lafouc@ouc.edu.cn.|Key Laboratory of Marine Environment and Ecology, Ocean University of China, Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266100, China. lafouc@ouc.edu.cn.
Aifeng
A
Li
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. sjl0320@163.com.
Jialiang
J
Song
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. ouc_huyang@163.com.
Yang
Y
Hu
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. denglongjicool@126.com.
Longji
L
Deng
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. wddingling@163.com.
Ling
L
Ding
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. limeihui0211@163.com.
Meihui
M
Li
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D000613:Aminobutyrates / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D017753:Ecosystem; D049851:Gastropoda / Q000737:chemistry; D008974:Mollusca / Q000737:chemistry*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
D000596:Amino Acids; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000613:Aminobutyrates; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D009498:Neurotoxins; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine; C005959:2,4-diaminobutyric acid
">l-alanine (BMAA); 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB); HILIC-MS/MS; Neverita didyma; marine ecosystem; β-N-methylamino-