Sea Cucumber Sugar: Natural Cancer Fighter?
- A recent study led by the University of Mississippi suggests that sea cucumbers, often called the ocean's janitors, contain a compound that could prevent cancer from spreading.
- Marwa Farrag, a doctoral candidate at the University of Mississippi adn lead author of the study, noted the unique nature of sea cucumber compounds.
- The research team, including members from Ole Miss and Georgetown University, focused on glycans, tiny structures on human cells that aid in cell dialog and immune responses.
Sea cucumbers might hold the secret to fighting cancer. Groundbreaking research reveals a sugar compound within these marine creatures can effectively block sulf-2, an enzyme crucial for cancerS spread—making it a potential natural cancer fighter. Unlike other treatments, this compound doesn’t interfere with blood clotting, showcasing it’s unique advantages. The study, published in Glycobiology, highlights the remarkable properties of glycans found in sea cucumbers, opening doors to innovative marine-based therapies.Experts from News Directory 3 are following this developing story. Researchers are now focused on synthesizing the compound for further testing. Discover what the next steps are in this exciting field of research.
Sea Cucumber Compound May Halt Cancer Spread, Study Finds
Updated June 12, 2025
A recent study led by the University of Mississippi suggests that sea cucumbers, often called the ocean’s janitors, contain a compound that could prevent cancer from spreading. Published in Glycobiology, the research highlights the potential of a sugar found in these marine invertebrates to block Sulf-2, an enzyme known to play a notable role in cancer growth.
Marwa Farrag, a doctoral candidate at the University of Mississippi adn lead author of the study, noted the unique nature of sea cucumber compounds. She said marine life often produces compounds with structures rarely found in other organisms, making them valuable for research.
The research team, including members from Ole Miss and Georgetown University, focused on glycans, tiny structures on human cells that aid in cell dialog and immune responses. Cancer cells modify enzymes like Sulf-2,altering glycan structures and promoting cancer spread. By inhibiting Sulf-2, scientists believe they can combat this process.
Vitor Pomin, associate professor of pharmacognosy, explained that enzymes essentially prune the “forests” of glycans covering cells. Inhibiting these enzymes could theoretically fight against cancer spread.
Using computer modeling and lab tests, the team discovered that fucosylated chondroitin sulfate from the sea cucumber Holothuria floridana effectively inhibits sulf-2. Robert Doerksen, professor of medicinal chemistry, confirmed the consistency between experimental results and simulation predictions, boosting confidence in the findings.
Joshua Sharp, associate professor of pharmacology, pointed out that unlike other Sulf-2 regulators, the sea cucumber compound does not affect blood clotting, reducing the risk of uncontrolled bleeding.
Sharp added that using a natural source like sea cucumbers to create a marine-based cancer therapy may be easier and safer than chemical synthesis or extraction from land mammals, which carries the risk of virus transmission. Pomin emphasized that the marine environment offers a cleaner and more beneficial resource.
However, Pomin noted that synthesizing the sugar compound is the next crucial step, as harvesting enough sea cucumbers for mass production is not feasible. The goal is to develop a chemical route to produce the compound for animal model testing.
Pomin highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the study, involving experts in chemistry, pharmacognosy, and computational biology, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in addressing complex diseases like cancer.
What’s next
Researchers plan to focus on synthesizing the sugar compound found in sea cucumbers to enable further testing and progress of a potential cancer therapy.
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