AGEING celebrities’ favourite toxin just got a little more useful. Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), sold as Botox, can immobilise face muscles to smooth wrinkles or treat neuromuscular disorders. Now it has been modified so that it could one day be used to treat asthma and possibly even cancer.
BoNT works by slicing up proteins known as SNAREs, which allow cells to release various substances. In its natural form, BoNT cleaves only those SNAREs that are specific to neurons. This prevents the release of neurotransmitters, cutting off neural communication between muscles and the brain.
Different SNAREs allow other cells to release substances…
