Kaliotoxin, a compound found in scorpion venom, significantly inhibits the type of bone loss found in advanced periodontal disease, report researchers in the January issue of Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Researchers at The Forsyth Institute induced the bone loss component of periodontal disease in two groups of rats and administered an injection of kaliotoxin to the test rats. After 10 days, the test rats exhibited 84 percent less alveolar bone loss than did the control rats.
According to Paloma Valverde, Ph.D., the principal investigator, kaliotoxin modulates inflammatory bone resorption by blocking the protein Kv1.3, a potassium channel known to be involved in inflammation. "Kaliotoxin decreases the expression of RANKL, a protein expressed on the surface of memory-activated T cells, which are present at high levels in periodontal disease," she said. RANKL plays a key role in inducing bone cells called "osteoclasts" to destroy bone. Thus, kaliotoxin or other potassium channel blockers that target Kv1.3 may reduce bone resorption.
"This is the first known study to show that a potassium channel blocker can decrease alveolar bone loss," Dr. Valverde said. "Furthermore, we observed no toxic effects. Therefore, we now have a novel and apparently safe strategy to ameliorate bone destruction associated with periodontal disease."
Other components of scorpion venom are being studied elsewhere for possible uses in treating autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and lupus, stroke and heart disease and certain cancers.
