Researchers have discovered a potential antidote for one of the deadliest toxins found in death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides). These mushrooms are responsible for the majority of deaths from mushroom poisonings worldwide. Symptoms can appear as soon as six hours after ingestion and include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If left untreated, the toxins can cause liver and kidney damage that can lead to death within 48 hours. While there is currently no antidote available, people can be treated with fluids, activated charcoal, and other therapies.
The team of researchers from China and Australia used the gene editor CRISPR/Cas9 to determine which human genes the toxin triggers to cause cell damage and death. One of those genes makes a protein called STT3B, which helps attach sugars to proteins. The team then screened a library of more than 3,000 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for molecules that could inhibit STT3B’s action. They found that the dye indocyanine green could stop the protein from doing its job and prevent human cells in lab dishes from dying after being treated with alpha-amanitin.
This discovery could potentially lead to the development of an antidote for alpha-amanitin, one of the deadliest toxins found in death cap mushrooms.