Pain causative agents from marine animals

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01911
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomolecular chemistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Nagai Hiroshi 東京海洋大学, 学術研究院, 教授 (50291026)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ハブクラゲ / 痛み / 構造決定 / ラン藻 / アプリシアトキシン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Among the dangerous marine animals, the box jellyfish Habu-kurage is known with its severe stinging. The causative agents of severe pain by Habu-kurage were researched. Nematocyst was isolated from Habu-kurage, at first. Then, isolated nematocysts were extracted and the pure nematocyst contents were obtained. Now we are trying to isolate the pain causative agents from the isolated nematocysts of Habu-kurage. One of the Okinawan cyanobacteria is known as the causative organism of skin irritation. The skin irritation is caused by the toxins such as aplysiatoxins and lyngbyatoxins. We conducted the isolation of the cytotoxic compounds from this cyanobacterium. Finally, some new aplysiatoxin derivatives have been isolated and structurally elucidated. Also biological activity tests were accomplished on these new compounds.

Free Research Field

海洋天然物化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は海洋危険生物がもつ痛み惹起物質の詳細を解明しようというもので、世界初の試みである。予備実験の結果、海洋危険生物であるハブクラゲの刺胞内に痛み惹起物質が少なくとも一つは存在することを確認できた。また、本化合物はLC-MSの結果から既知の痛み惹起物質とは一致しなかった。さらに、痛みを伴う刺傷を引き起こす多種多様な海洋危険生物群の痛み惹起物質が単一とは考えにくいため、ハブクラゲ以外の危険生物についても痛み惹起物質の詳細を順次解明していく必要がある。新規な痛み惹起物質の解明は、その化合物を起点とした新たな痛み受容体の科学への展開など発展性を有する基盤的研究である。