Pterois volitans venom induces muscular fibrillation, which results from nerve transmission caused by the presence of acetylcholine (ACh). It also has cardiovascular effects that are due to its actions on muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors. In this study, we characterized the effects of P. volitans venom on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and dopaminergic neurons. After exposure to P. volitans venom, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) mRNA levels and the expression of the α2 subunit of nAChR increased in zebrafish embryos (15–20 somites). In addition, the lionfish venom blocked zebrafish α2 nAChR subunit functional expression and the ACh-induced response of human neuronal α3β2 receptors. The latter receptor was blocked by a protein fraction named F2, which was isolated from P. volitans venom using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). This venom causes death in dopaminergic neurons, and affects the cholinergic system. The effect of these two systems may result in retarded embryonic development of zebrafish, since the two systems function in a related manner to control growth hormone secretion.

Pterois volitans毒液会诱发肌肉颤动，这是由乙酰胆碱（ACh）的存在引起的神经传导引起的。由于其对毒蕈碱和烟碱胆碱能受体的作用，它也具有心血管作用。在这项研究中，我们表征了体育弧菌毒液对烟碱乙酰胆碱受体（nAChRs）和多巴胺能神经元的影响。暴露于P. volitans后斑马鱼胚胎（15–20节）的毒液，乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）mRNA水平和nAChR的α2亚基表达增加。此外，ion鱼毒液还阻断了斑马鱼α2nAChR亚基的功能表达以及ACh诱导的人类神经元α3β2受体应答。后者的受体被称为F2的蛋白质部分阻断，该蛋白质部分使用反相高效液相色谱（RP-HPLC）从火山假单胞菌毒液中分离出来。这种毒液会导致多巴胺能神经元死亡，并影响胆碱能系统。这两个系统的作用可能导致斑马鱼的胚胎发育受阻，因为这两个系统以相关的方式控制生长激素的分泌。