Venom from one of the world’s deadliest spiders could lead to a potentially-life saving treatment for victims of heart attacks.
Researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia and Sydney’s Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute are developing a drug candidate derived from a molecule found in the venom of the Fraser Island funnel-web spider.
A protein, Hi1a, could block so-called death signals sent to cells after a cardiac arrest that causes heart cells to die, according to a study published recently in the journal Circulation. Currently, there are no drugs in clinical use that stop the damage caused by heart attacks.
“After a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is reduced, resulting in a lack of oxygen to heart muscle,” Nathan Palpant, professor from the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience and author of the study, said in a statement.
“Despite decades of research, no one has been able to develop a drug that stops this death signal in heart cells, which is one of the reasons why heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the world,” Palpant said.
Researchers used Hi1a on beating human heart cells exposed to heart attack stresses to see if the drug improved their chances for survival.
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“The Hi1a protein from spider venom blocks acid-sensing ion channels in the heart, so the death message is blocked, cell death is reduced, and we see improved heart cell survival,” Palpant said.
Researchers are hoping to conduct human clinical trials for a drug candidate to treat stroke and heart disease over the next 2 to 3 years.
Hi1a could eventually be used by first responders to treat heart attack victims, improve the likelihood of successful heart transplants and increase how far donor hearts can be transported.
The species of spider is considered to be one of the most dangerous in the world by some scientists, as the venomous spiders are equipped with large, powerful fangs capable of penetrating fingernails and soft shoes. There have been 26 recorded deaths in Australia over the last 100 years from poisonous funnel-web spider bites.
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