Unexpected discovery in ancient tomb could 'help fight cancer'

It was thought to be a curse back in the day, but now a deadly fungus linked to Tutankhamun's tomb could help combat disease in what could trigger a number of future medical breakthroughs.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that these molecules in "pharaoh's curse" fungus, Aspergillus flavus, stop cancer cell growth, and work just as well as ready and available treatments.

They've already discovered in a study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology that this fungus can fight leukaemia.

Why is it called "pharaoh's curse"?

Tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun in Valley of the Kings, Luxor, EgyptiStockphoto by Getty Images

The reason for this name dates back to the 1920s when it was linked to the untimely deaths of several archaeologists who opened ancient tombs around the world, including the famous discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun, according to Popular Mechanics.

Back then, it was believed these deaths were because of an ancient curse (they weren't familiar with fungal inhalation in those times).

As a known "microbial villain" for at least the past century, the Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) is often found in soil and can infect a lot of vital agricultural crops, with Popular Science calling it "one of the most frequently isolated mould species in both agriculture and medicine."

If you're exposed to the fungus, it can cause lung infections, particularly for immunocompromised people.

However, at the same time, it also has peptides which can help fight cancer (when adjusted).

How did researchers find this out?

From A. flavus, four molecules (aka "asperigimycins") with the ability to form a unique structure of interlocking rings were isolated.

The asperigimycins displayed "medical potential" when combined with human cancer cells - in fact, potent effects against leukaemia cells were seen in two of the four variants.

Then the addition of lipids (fatty molecules) saw the asperigimycins become just as effective as the FDA-approved drugs used to treat the cancer. What's more, there appeared to be no A. flavus. side effects, either.

Asperigimycins are part of a molecule class called ribosomally synthesised and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPP, for short), they've previously been found in bacteria but are pretty difficult to research as a rare fungi.

“Even though only a few have been found, almost all of them have strong bioactivity,” said Qiuyue Nie, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and an author of the study. “This is an unexplored region with tremendous potential.”

What's next?

History and scientific research tell us fungi's notable contributions to medicine, e.g. the antibiotic penicillin, and signs point to there being more discoveries like this.

“Fungi gave us penicillin,” said Sherry Gao, a professor at Penn and senior author on the study. “These results show that many more medicines derived from natural products remain to be found."

The next stage will see researchers test their new treatment on animals, and if that is successful, then it will be human-tested. Any rollout of this treatment may take some years.

"Nature has given us this incredible pharmacy," added Gao. "It's up to us to uncover its secrets. As engineers, we're excited to keep exploring, learning from nature and using that knowledge to design better solutions."

Elsewhere, 1800-year-old tomb discovered with rare treasure inside, and Archaeologists discover 'miracle' in ancient Egyptian tomb.

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