Scientists have found a breakthrough in cancer treatment, and it is deep within the ocean
A team of scientists led by the
University of Mississippi
has discovered a rare sugar in sea cucumbers that may help stop
cancer
from spreading, without the dangerous side effects of traditional treatments.
What does the discovery say?
The study published in the journal Glycobiology reveals that a compound called fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, found in the
sea cucumber
Holothuria floridana, blocks Sulf-2, an enzyme that cancer cells use to grow and metastasize. The compound could become a critical tool in future cancer therapies.
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'Marine life produces compounds with unique structures that are often rare or not found in terrestrial vertebrates,' said Marwa Farrag, a fourth-year doctoral student and lead author of the study. 'The sugar compounds in sea cucumbers are unique. They aren't commonly seen in other organisms. That's why they're worth studying.'
Sulf-2 plays a key role in altering glycans, sugar molecules that coat the surface of all human cells and regulate communication and immune responses. When this enzyme modifies glycans, it helps cancer cells break away and spread. Blocking Sulf-2 may stop tumors from invading healthy tissues.
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'This sugar essentially stops the pruning of the cellular 'forest,'' said Dr. Vitor Pomin, associate professor of pharmacognosy. 'If we can inhibit that enzyme, we are fighting against the spread of cancer.'
The research team, which also included scientists from Georgetown University, used lab testing and computer modeling to confirm the sugar's effect. Both methods produced consistent results.
Safe for human use
Unlike some Sulf-2 inhibitors already known, this sea cucumber sugar does not affect blood clotting, making it safer for use in humans. 'If a molecule interferes with blood coagulation, you risk life-threatening bleeding,' said Dr. Joshua Sharp, associate professor of pharmacology. 'This one doesn't.'
Lack of abundance
The team now faces a new challenge: sea cucumbers aren't abundant enough to harvest for mass production. 'One of the problems in developing this as a drug would be the low yield,' said Dr. Pomin. 'So, we have to develop a chemical route.'
The scientists are currently working to synthesize the compound in the lab so it can be tested in animal models.
If successful, this breakthrough could pave the way for cleaner, safer, and more sustainable cancer treatments, originating not from synthetic chemicals or land animals, but from the ocean floor.
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