KIOST Develops Autoimmune Disease Treatment Using Jellyfish Venom

The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) is conducting research to develop the summer nuisance 'jellyfish' into a pharmaceutical product that improves autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

KIOST announced on the 26th that it synthesized a toxic peptide component identified from the genome information of the Nomura's jellyfish and confirmed that this component inhibits the activation of the 'potassium ion channel,' which causes various autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, and has completed patent registration.

Potassium ion channels are membrane proteins that regulate the passage of potassium by opening and closing the cell membrane.

The research team led by Senior Researcher Seung-sik Yeom of the Ecological Risk Research Division at KIOST Namhae Research Institute analyzed the genome information of Nomura's jellyfish in 2019 and secured genetic information on the jellyfish's proliferation control mechanism and toxic proteins.

Subsequently, they discovered that some synthesized peptides of toxic proteins, expected to act on the nervous system, inhibit the activation of the 'potassium ion channel,' which induces autoimmune diseases.

This research is expected to contribute to the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals such as analgesics and health functional foods that improve autoimmune diseases by utilizing the toxicity of jellyfish, a summer nuisance.

Nomura's jellyfish.

Nomura's jellyfish is an invasive toxic jellyfish that occurs annually in the Chinese waters and enters the coastal areas of Korea via ocean currents. It is known to cause harm to the human body due to its strong toxicity and to damage fisheries by breaking fishing nets and delaying operations because of its large size and weight.

Director Dong-Hyung Kang said, "This research achievement is significant in that it further raised the possibility of utilizing jellyfish toxins, harmful marine organisms, as marine bio-materials," and added, "We will actively support related research to ensure that future research outcomes lead to commercialization."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.