Blue-green algae toxins and liver cancer (original) (raw)

Abstract

Microcystins (MCYSTs) isolated from blue-green algae, are hepatotoxic polypeptides. It will induce severe intrahepatic hemorrhage and liver necrosis at low concentrations in rats and mice. MCYST-LR is one of MCYSTs which consists of 2 variable L- amino acids (leucine and arginine), 3 D-amino acids and 2 unusual amino acids (including Adda). MCYSTs bind to protein phosphatase 1 and 2A, and strongly inhibit their activities. The resultant increase of phosphoprotein was referred to be involved in tumor-promoting activity in liver. According to the above results and animal study, MCYST-LR is a potent liver tumor-promoter. There were 9 positive from 30 samples of pond-ditch water in high endemic county-Haimen by high-peformance liquid chromatograph and 3 already confirmed by liquid chromograph/mass spectrometer. The quantities of MCYSTs were different between drinking water of liver cancer cases and controls groups (0.122±0.057 and 0.072±0.044 μg/200ml respectively) by ELISA. It is not easy to remove by conventional water treatment procedures. The relationship between MCYSTs and oncogenes and anti-oncogenes are under studying.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Epidemiology, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai, 200032
   Yu Shunzhang & Chen Gang

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1. Yu Shunzhang
2. Chen Gang

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Shunzhang, Y., Gang, C. Blue-green algae toxins and liver cancer.Chinese Journal of Cancer Research 6, 9–17 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02672256

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• Accepted: 05 October 1993
• Issue date: March 1994
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02672256

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