Studies on Biologically Active Substances in Marine Worms, Especially on Toxins of The Ribbon Worm

海洋蠕虫（扁形动物、纽形动物、线虫动物、轮形动物、内肛动物、环节动物等）没有坚硬的甲壳或外壳来保护自己免受敌人的伤害，也不能快速游泳以逃离敌人。他们中的许多人是肉食性的。因此，他们被认为或显示有一些化学制剂，而不是炮弹或武器。近年来，我们发现一些蠕虫如扁虫、带虫等具有河豚毒素（TTX）。研究结果表明，TTX在这些生物中被用作生物防御剂。在此背景下，本研究进行了以下几方面的实验研究：1）除已知的褐绿扁线虫（Lineus fuscoviridis）外，其他纽形动物也含有河豚毒素。fuscoviridis，provoscis具有最高的效力（max. 1040 MU/g），然后是表皮。粘液也有明显的毒性。并且一些海葵如海葵属（Actinia sp.）显示出具有致死效力（最大，3）调查了濑户内海和广岛附近海域底质中TTX相关物质的分布; 5）在某些蠕虫中检测到较强的抗菌活性，如带状蠕虫。

Marine helminth worms (Platyhelminthes, Nemertean, Nematyhelminthes, Trochelminthes, Endoprocta, Annelida and so on) don't have hard carapaces or shells to protect against enemies and are not able to swim quickly to escape from them. And many of them are carnivorous. Therefore they have been assume d or shown to have some chemical agents instead of shells or weapons. Recently we have found that some worms such as flatworm and ribbon worm possess tetrodotoxin (TTX). Some results show that TTX is used as biological defense agent in these organisms. Under these backgrounds, some experiments were conducted and following results were obtained.1) In addition to known TTX-containing ribbon worm such as Lineus fuscoviridis, some other nemerteans were shown to possess this toxin by means of HPLC and GC-MS. Among the various organs of the ribbon worm L. fuscoviridis, provoscis have the highest potency (max. 1040 MU/g) followed by epidermis. Mucus also have remarkable toxicity.2) Some annelids such as Lepidonotus spp. and some sea anemones such as Actinia sp. were shown to have lethal potencies (max. 180 MU/g), originating from TTX and its related substances.3) The distribution of TTX related substances in benthic animals and planktons inhabiting in the Seto Inland Sea and substratums of that sea near Hiroshima were surveyed.5) Rather strong antimicrobial activities were detected in some worms such as ribbon worms.