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Snake Bite May Cure Cancer

Posted on: Saturday, 5 June 2004, 06:00 CDT

Cancer or snake bite might seem an unenviable choice but it may become a common decision for hospital patients, and an easy one for those who want to live. "US researchers have found that if the blood supply to malignant tumours could be prevented from forming, or damaged once formed, the tumours would not grow," says A/Prof Tony Woods from the University of South Australia's (UniSA) School of Pharmaceutical, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences.

"While research into the use of snake venoms for treating tumours is not new, and continues on a global scale, the major difference is that UniSA researchers have identified in some venoms a compound that can be used in very low concentrations," Woods says. "This means that the toxicity is much lower and it only affects the cells that we are interested in."

Endothelial cells grow in blood vessels, including in the vessels that feed tumours. "Endothelial cells must be in association with each other because they have a deeply engineered function which insists that they cohabitate. A single cell on its own will die very quickly. By knowing how to destroy these cells we can remove the lifeline of nutrients that keeps the tumours alive," Woods says.

A coastal Taipan, thought to be the third most venomous snake on land, being milked.

PhD student Emma Bateman has separated the venom from numerous snakes into components and has detected one that damages the endothelial cells within tumours. "Our research shows that some Australian snake venoms target the cells that surround tumours while having less or no effect on some other cells. We expect the final compound to affect the target cells only," Wood claims.

"Once we've identified the particular compound that has the greatest effect we won't be collecting snakes to milk them and separate out the venom," Woods adds. "Instead we'll find the gene that expresses the compound, then put the gene into some bacteria and make the compound just like human insulin is made.

"We still don't know how the chemical targets just the cells in the tumour" and not similar cells in the rest of the body. However, Woods believes this mystery will be solved soon. Despite the presence of venoms with the ability to target the blood supply in tumours across unrelated species of snake, Woods cannot think of any evolutionary advantage this may have for snakes.

Copyright Control Publications Pty Ltd May 2004

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