Could nature hold the cure for cancer? A team of Brazilian scientists believes it just might.
Researchers have identified a powerful molecule in the venom of the Amazonian scorpion Brotheas Amazonicus that can kill breast cancer cells. The substance, known as BamazScplp1, destroys cancer cells by a process that causes the cells to rupture and die.
These preliminary findings, unveiled at the FAPESP Week France conference which mark a breakthrough in the pursuit of cancer therapies derived from natural sources.
Researchers employed a technique known as heterologous expression, which involves introducing venom-related genes into yeast cells, to generate the venom-based chemical in greater amounts. The chemical is then effectively produced by these modified cells acting as microscopic biological factories.
This method has already demonstrated potential in other medical fields, such as the extraction of circulation-regulating proteins from cattle and the use of snake venom to promote blood vessel formation.
The finding supports the increasing amount of data showing that nature is still a huge and mainly untapped source of effective therapeutic remedies.