Could Octopuses Hold the Key to Curing Cancer?

Scientific breakthroughs often look from unexpected and improbable places. The improvement of penicillin was an accident, Velcro was inspired by works burrs and aggregate crab treatments person been developed from sea sponges. 

New research has recovered that compounds from 2 different types of octopus whitethorn connection caller ways to dainty cancer. 

EIGHT ARMS, ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

The octopuses successful mobility are nan Australian confederate soil octopus and nan common octopus, nan aforesaid type featured successful Netflix’s Oscar award-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher. 

Compounds successful their venom and ink person been observed sidesplitting harmful microbes and fighting tumours.

The soil octopus’s typical compound is called octopeptide-1. The communal octopus’s concealed compound is called ozopromide. 

Unlike different crab treatments, nan compounds successful nan octopus ink and venom target cancerous cells without harming patient cells. 

Caption: A communal octopus
Credit @robinr724 via Instagram

REDUCING RELAPSES

Dr Maria Ikonomopoulou is Head of nan Translational Venomics Group astatine IMDEA-Food Institute successful Madrid. She specialises successful venom-based supplier discovery. 

Maria led nan investigation that discovered nan soil octopus venom could onslaught melanoma. 

“What we recovered astir breathtaking was nan specificity of octopeptide-1,” says Maria.

“It wasn’t an fierce method of sidesplitting melanoma cells. Cancer patients often can’t decorativeness their curen courses because they are excessively aggressive. This results successful precocious relapse rates. 

“If a safer and much mild curen action pinch little broadside effects was developed, much relapses could beryllium prevented.”

The octopus venom is still being tested successful animals, but early results are promising. 

Where accustomed crab treatments purpose to extremity cancerous growths by sidesplitting them, this caller curen simply limits their growth. 

It is hoped this compound could beryllium utilized arsenic portion of mixed therapies for melanoma successful nan future. It could amended nan target of existing treatments and make them little toxic to patients.

INK-REDIBLE MEDICINE

It is hoped nan recently discovered compound successful nan communal octopus’s ink could nutrient akin results. 

While it has slowed nan growth of crab cells from nan breast, cervix, prostate and lungs successful a laboratory environment, it hasn’t been tested connected group yet.

The astir effective results were a 50% simplification successful nan maturation of lung crab cells.

Similarly to nan soil octopus venom, nan communal octopus ink specifically targeted cancerous cells, pinch adjacent normal cells remaining unaffected. 

Caption: Maria successful nan lab
Credit: Supplied Maria Ikonomopoulou

SAFETY FIRST

“Unfortunately, getting to quality tests is very slow progress,” says Maria. 

“There is simply a batch of investigation needed to make judge what we put into our bodies is safe and effective. A batch of time, resources and backing is needed – and backing is difficult to get.” 

Both compounds person been artificially created successful nan lab. This overcomes nan situation of relying connected octopuses arsenic a earthy source.

More experiments utilizing some compounds are required to return this investigation to nan adjacent step. 

There is still truthful overmuch to beryllium discovered wrong our oceans. From crab treatments to renewable energy, nan world – and water – is our oyster.