A peptide from an Australian funnel-web spider has been found to kill both human melanoma cells and cancerous Tasmania devil facial tumours that are threatening the survival of the species.
The research, started at Brisbane's QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, also found that the funnel-web compound had almost no negative effects on surrounding healthy cells in either case.
Up close and frightening ... a female funnel-web spider at the Australian Reptile Park. Credit:Jon Reid
The peptide, a compound consisting of two or more amino acids, was extracted from the venom gland but researchers are still trying to determine whether it is from the spider's venom or blood.
Maria Ikonomopoulou, who is now based in Spain conducting independent research, started her work at QIMR Berghofer before moving to Europe.
"We decided to test this spider [funnel-web] compound because it was very similar in chemical composition to a compound from a Brazilian spider, which was already known to have anti-cancer properties, although it had never been tested in devil facial tumour cells," Dr Ikonomopoulou said.
eqleriq on October 7th, 2018 at 15:44 UTC »
Australian Funnel Spiders have also been known to mind control science writes so more people desire the healhty, and in no way dangerous, bite of the Funnel spider.
All hail Funnel Spider, your peptides are our salvation.
paulfdietz on October 7th, 2018 at 14:27 UTC »
Killing cancer cells is easy. Killing only cancer cells is hard. Killing only and all cancer cells is really really hard.
DarthReeder on October 7th, 2018 at 14:26 UTC »
That spider looks like it can kill just about anything, so I'm not surprised it can kill cancer.