RT Journal Article T1 In silico simulations and functional cell studies evidence similar potency and distinct binding of pacific and caribbean ciguatoxins A1 Raposo García, Sandra A1 Castro Alonso, David Miguel A1 Lence Quintana, Emilio José A1 Estévez Bastos, Pablo A1 Leão, José Manuel A1 González Bello, Concepción A1 Gago Martínez, Ana A1 Louzao Ojeda, María del Carmen A1 Botana López, Luis Miguel K1 Ciguatoxins K1 Sodium channels K1 Molecular modeling K1 Ciguatera poisoning K1 Toxicity AB Ciguatoxins (CTX) cause ciguatera poisoning, which is the most common reported human food poisoning related to natural marine toxins. Pacific ciguatoxins are the most abundant and studied CTX analogues; however, the growing distribution of Caribbean analogues and the limited data available on their biological effects make necessary to re-evaluate their relative potency. For decades, the guidelines established by regulatory agencies have assumed that the potency of the Caribbean CTXs were tenfold lower than the Pacific CTXs. We present here an integrated study involving Neuro-2a cells (the method used worldwide to test ciguatoxins), electrophysiological assays, and in silico simulations that evidence the similar cytotoxicity of Caribbean and Pacific ciguatoxins and their asymmetry binding within sodium channels. The binding mode of the toxins was first explored by molecular docking using the GOLD program and the resulting binary complexes were further studied by Molecular Dynamics simulation studies using the molecular mechanics force field AMBER. The simulation studies explain their distinct impact on the activation potential of the channel as experimentally observed and provide a detailed picture of the effects caused by these toxins on an atomic scale PB Springer SN 2451-9766 YR 2022 FD 2022 LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/29970 UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/29970 LA eng NO Raposo-García, S., Castro, D., Lence, E. et al. In Silico Simulations and Functional Cell Studies Evidence Similar Potency and Distinct Binding of Pacific and Caribbean Ciguatoxins. Expo Health (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-022-00513-0 NO Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. The research leading to these results has received funding from the following FEDER-co-funded grants. From Conselleria de Cultura, Educacion e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia, GRC (ED431C 2021/01, ED431C 2021/29, and the Centro singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2019–2022 ED431G 2019/03). From European Union Interreg AlertoxNet EAPA-317-2016, Interreg Agritox EAPA-998-2018, and H2020 778069-EMERTOX, and the EUROCIGUA project: “Risk Characterization of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning in Europe” GP/EFSA/AFSCO/2015/03, co-funded by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). From Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2020-115010RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. David Castro (D.C.) financial support for the PhD studies was obtained through EUROCIGUA project: Risk characterization of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning in Europe, framework partnership agreement GP/EFSA/AFSCO/2015/03, co-funded by the EFSA. Pablo Estevez (P.E.) acknowledges financial support from the Xunta de Galicia (Regional Government, Spain) under grant ED481A-2018/207 DS Minerva RD 27 abr 2026