The researchers report their discovery of this previously unknown class of proteins, dubbed prokineticins, in the April issue of the journal Molecular Pharmacology . Understanding how such muscle movement is regulated is thus an important goal of current research. To that end, Qun-Yong Zhou of the University of California at Irvine and his colleagues first focused on proteins from snake venom and frog skin secretions that stimulate GI smooth muscle contractions in guinea pigs. They then set about searching for human versions of these proteins, combing through chemical databases and testing candidates on guinea pig intestinal muscles. He further notes that such treatments could help reduce vomiting and other GI side effects of cancer chemotherapy.
Actual remedies are a long way off, however.