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A fungus once dubbed the ‘Pharaoh’s Curse’ might have the potential to fight the deadly disease of cancer.
The ancient fungus produces cancer-fighting molecules. (AI Generated Image)
There is a long-standing belief rooted in ancient Egyptian lore – the infamous “Curse of the Pharaohs.” The legend warns of doom befalling anyone who dares to enter a tomb or disturb the mummy of a pharaoh.
The myth gained global attention in the 1920s, when the tomb of King Tutankhamun was unearthed by a team of archaeologists. What followed was a chain of mysterious deaths, including Lord Carnarvon, the expedition’s British patron, financier George Jay Gould, and Egyptologist Arthur Mace, adding fuel to the eerie tale of the pharaoh’s wrath.
However, later medical and scientific investigations attributed these deaths to a more earthly cause: a toxic fungus named Aspergillus flavus, whose spores, dormant for millennia, were likely inhaled upon entering the sealed chambers. Now, a century later, that very fungus has re-emerged in a completely new light.
In a groundbreaking study by the University of Pennsylvania, researchers have discovered that Aspergillus flavus, once associated with death and mystery, may hold the key to fighting one of the deadliest modern diseases, cancer. Now, after 100 years, research at the University of Pennsylvania has found that the toxic fungus, once referred to as Pharaoh’s Curse and causing several deaths, may offer hope to fight the cancer.
Published in Nature Chemical Biology, the research reveals that this ancient fungus produces cancer-fighting molecules, which the team has named asperigmiycins. “Nature has given us this incredible pharmacy; it’s up to us to uncover its secrets,” said Sherry Gao, a professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. She added, “Fungi gave us penicillin. These results show that many more medicines derived from natural products remain to be found.”
The team studied a dozen strains of Aspergillus, isolating compounds that showed strong potential against leukaemia cells, even without modification. In follow-up experiments, the potency of these molecules was significantly enhanced by adding a compound found in royal jelly. The results matched the effectiveness of established chemotherapy drugs like cytarabine and daunorubicin.
“These compounds block the formation of microtubules, which are essential for cell division,” Gao explained. The research also identified a critical gene, SLC46A3, which helps transport the compound into cancer cells. They identified a similar cluster of genes in other fungi, which might be more potential drugs to be discovered. “Even though only a few have been found, almost all of them have strong bioactivity,” said Qiuyue Nie, of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, adding, “This is an unexplored region with tremendous potential.”
What was once feared as a symbol of death may now become a beacon of hope. A fungus once dubbed the “Pharaoh’s Curse” might just end up making medical history.
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Delhi, India, India
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