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Rattlesnake 'Toxin Sponges' Could Revolutionize Medicine
17 Sep
Summary
- Rattlesnake proteins can neutralize venom up to 10 times more potently than commercial antivenom.
- These natural 'toxin sponges' protect against a spectrum of snake venom lethality.
- Future antivenoms could be manufactured in unlimited quantities using these proteins.
Herpetologists identified that rattlesnakes are immune to their own venom, a trait attributed to 'toxin sponges' in their bloodstream. A 2022 study identified four FETUA proteins in the western diamondback rattlesnake. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrated that these FETUA proteins can fully neutralize rattlesnake venom lethality in mice, showing approximately 10 times the potency of current commercial antivenom.
These naturally evolved proteins, Fetuin-A and others in the FETUA family, were found to inhibit metalloproteinases, a key component of venom. Surprisingly, blocking just these toxins was sufficient to prevent lethality. The proteins also proved effective against venoms from eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, Malayan pit vipers, and Chinese moccasins, though effectiveness varied against true vipers.
This discovery offers a promising path for next-generation antivenom development. Unlike animal-derived antivenoms, recombinant FETUA proteins can be produced in unlimited quantities with high purity. While FETUAs currently neutralize metalloproteinases, further research is needed to address other venom toxins, such as neurotoxins, for a comprehensive human antivenom.
