Soricidin Explained
Soricidin is a paralytic oligopeptide found in the venomous saliva of the northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda);[1] in the wild, shrews use it to paralyze their prey (typically insects).[2] Its name is a reference to "Soricidae", the family to which shrews belong.[3]
In addition to blocking transmission of nerve impulses[4] by inhibiting sodium channels, soricidin also inhibits the TRPV6 calcium channel,[5] which is over-expressed in many epithelial-cell cancers; as a result, soricidin is able to selectively induce apoptosis[6] in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer.[7]
It is 54 amino acids long.[1] It was first extracted and identified in 2000, as a result of basic research[3] by Jack Stewart of Mount Allison University.[8]
Notes and References
- https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P0C2P6 Soricidin - Blarina brevicauda (Northern short-tailed shrew)
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/1380494 Venom of the Short-Tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda) as an Insect Immobilizing Agent
- http://pubs.acs.org/cen/critter/8242shrews.html The Stunning Saliva Of Shrews: Researchers are trying to unravel the mystery of the shrew's venomous brew
- http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/shrew-spit-tames-cancer-cells-1.908339 Shrew spit tames cancer cells
- http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0058866 In Vivo Detection of Human TRPV6-Rich Tumors with Anti-Cancer Peptides Derived from Soricidin
- http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/adt.2009.0241 The Seventh Annual Ion Channel Retreat - Vancouver, Canada, June 29 – July 1, 2009 - MEETING REPORT
- https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/quest-for-a-wonder-drug-started-with-shrew-bait/article4470731/ Quest for a wonder drug started with shrew bait
- http://www.macleans.ca/2010/07/01/open-up-and-say-aah/ Open up and say 'aah'
