Investigation of the distribution and excretion of okadaic acid in mice using immunostaining method.

This paper describes the distribution and excretion of okadaic acid (OA) administered orally to mice and examined by immunostaining method. Five min after administration, OA was systemically distributed, being detected in the lung, liver, heart, kidney, and small and large intestine. The swollen small intestinal villi contained OA, causing the separation of epithelial cells from villi and erosion, which developed within 1h. Bleeding and edema in the lung were also found, and the distribution of OA coincided with these injuries. Although a considerable amount of OA was accumulated in the liver, no symptoms, such as bleeding, were observed. The detection of OA continued for 2 weeks in the liver and blood vessels. Excretion from kidney, cecum and large intestine began even after 5 min of the administration, and the excretion from intestine continued for 4 weeks.