How spider silk could become a medical marvel
Melbourne researchers have found a way to alter the silk from spiders webs that could save human lives. Now medical uses for the silk particles are being considered by scientists across the world.
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Spider silk could be genetically modified and used to help control blood clotting, Melbourne scientists have found.
The intricate webs — which are made from a protein — could also coat implants and deliver medications to certain parts of the body.
Researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology — based in Parkville — have found that by modifying protein in the silk, the way body responds to the protein could also be changed.
This could then be applied to things such as blood clots, with the silk protein altered to encourage or discourage clotting.
Matthew Faria, of the University of Melbourne and the centre’s Rejane Langlois research fellow, said medical materials made from spider silk were being considered by scientists across the world.
He said because the silk was biodegradable, non-toxic and did not trigger an immune response in humans, it could be used in a number of ways.
“Spider silk, as it turns out, has a lot of interesting properties,” Dr Faria said.
“It can be very, very strong, it’s very adaptable and can have different properties depending on how it comes out — whether that be for trapping prey or movement.
“What we did is we took the spider silk proteins and modified the protein for functionality.
“We modified the (particle) charge and we can also change how the protein interacts with things, how it breaks down.
“And that makes a big difference as to how your body reacts.”
Dr Faria said this method could also be used as a means of delivering drugs into the body, and as “carrier systems” for diagnostic imaging and vaccinations.
“What we’re interested in is making spider silk particles — something we can package something up in and maybe one day, use in a medical context,” he said.
“Of course it’s very early days — but by modifying how the proteins are produced, we know the body’s response changes.”
Scientists used test-tube samples of human blood during their research to monitor any real-life changes and mimic how the body might react.
“We think it’s a much more realistic representation of how the body will respond,” Dr Faria said.
Dr Faria said the findings could potentially help scores of patients.
“It’s pretty crazy and it is surprising sometimes that something that comes from nature, we can take out and isolate and try (in the medical field),” he said.
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