Snake venom may treat heart ailments and cancer, finds research

A team of researchers from the University of Yamanashi initiated the present investigation that claims that there are certain toxins present in the snake venom that make it therapeutic for cancer and heart disorders.

According to the scientists, a protein that is found on the blood platelets could help in fighting irregular blood clotting and growing of many cancers in the human body.

“The finding that platelets not only play a role in blood clotting but also in the development of vessels that allow tumors to flourish was quite unexpected and paves the way for new research on the role or roles of platelets,” says Katsue Suzuki-Inoue, an associate professor at the University of Yamanashi and the lead-author of the study.

"When a blood clot or thrombus forms during the body's normal repair process, it's doing its job. But, thrombotic diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, are leading causes of death in developed countries. Understanding and manipulating the underlying chemical reactions could help us save many lives," said Suzuki-Inoue.

What makes the snake venom therapeutic?
Yonchol Shin, an associate professor at Kogakuin University and a snake toxins expert says, “Snake venom contains a vast number of toxins that target proteins in platelets. Some of those toxins prevent platelets from clotting, which can lead to profuse bleeding in snake bite victims.”

“Others, like the one we've focused this research on, potently activate platelets, which results in blood clots. Identification of the molecular targets of many of these toxins has made an enormous contribution to our understanding of platelet activation and related diseases," Shin furthers.

With the help of a mouse model, a research team in 2008 showed that preventing the tumor-protein podoplanin from fastening onto the platelet receptor protein CLEC-2, the scientific name of the venom toxin, could help in preventing the growth of the tumor in the lung.

Past research has proved that CLEC-2 helps in stopping blood clotting and is also needed for the growth of lymphatic vessels that carry fluid away from the tissues, preventing swelling or edema.

“During fetal development, the CLEC-2 deficiency disturbed the normal process of blood clotting and, in fact, the normal development and differentiation of blood and lymphatic vessels. They had disorganized and blood-filled lymphatic vessels and severe swelling,” reveals Masanori Hirashima, an associate professor at Kobe University.

"We speculate that the interaction between the platelet's CLEC-2 protein and the podoplanin molecule in lymphatic cells plays an essential role in the creation of lymphatic vessels, thereby facilitating tumor growth. If this is the case, a drug that blocks that interaction would prevent the spread of tumors through lymphatic vessels," adds Osamu Inoue.

The findings of the present study have been detailed in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.