Moshirfar Majid, Hastings Jordan, Ronquillo Yasmyne, Patel Bhupendra C.
University of Utah/John Moran Eye Center; Hoopes Vision/HDR Research Center; Utah Lions Eye Bank
Hoopes Vision Research Center
Palytoxin (PTX) is a large naturally occurring toxin initially isolated from zoanthids (i.e., soft corals) in the genus and has since been found in various marine life including microalgae. PTX is a highly deadly polyhydroxylated and partially desaturated non-proteinaceous carbon backbone with a molecular weight of 2680 kilodaltons and a lethal dose (LD) of 150 ng/kg body weight in mice when given intravenously. It is among the largest nonpolymeric natural products. It was first synthesized in totality in 1994, decades after its initial discovery. The toxin is released from organelles called nematocysts, which release spiral thread-like structures with ‘barbs’ that can pierce tissue upon contact. These soft corals are often present in aquariums due to their beauty and relatively low maintenance. Though not all species are known to produce a toxin, the exact identification of the specific genus and species is often not possible; thus, all should be treated as toxic. Inhalation, ingestion, or cutaneous contact can lead to lethal systemic effects, but a small number of cases in recent years have described ophthalmic effects that range from superficial punctate epitheliopathy to bilateral corneal melt with subsequent perforation.
岩沙海葵毒素（PTX）是一种天然存在的大型毒素，最初从群体海葵属（即软珊瑚）中分离出来，此后在包括微藻在内的各种海洋生物中都有发现。PTX是一种剧毒的多羟基化且部分不饱和的非蛋白质碳骨架，分子量为2680千道尔顿，静脉注射时对小鼠的致死剂量（LD）为150纳克/千克体重。它是最大的非聚合天然产物之一。在最初发现几十年后的1994年，它首次被完全合成。这种毒素从称为刺丝囊的细胞器中释放出来，刺丝囊会释放出带有“倒刺”的螺旋线状结构，接触时可刺穿组织。这些软珊瑚因其美丽和相对易于养护，常出现在水族馆中。虽然并非所有物种都已知会产生毒素，但通常无法准确鉴定具体的属和种；因此，所有软珊瑚都应被视为有毒。吸入、摄入或皮肤接触都可能导致致命的全身效应，但近年来有少数病例描述了眼部效应，范围从浅表点状上皮病变到双侧角膜溶解并随后穿孔。
