Sea Cucumber Compound Shows Promise as Potential Cancer Treatment

Sea Cucumber Compound Shows Promise as Potential Cancer Treatment

A recent study has revealed that sea cucumbers naturally produce a sugar-based compound capable of inhibiting a key enzyme associated with cancer progression. The next major challenge for researchers is to develop a scalable method to synthesize this compound for broader use. For generations, sea cucumbers have held a place in traditional Asian medicine due to their abundance of health-boosting substances. In 2023, it was discovered they contain compounds that may help delay type 2 diabetes. Now, new findings from the University of Mississippi (UM) highlight another promising property: a unique compound that could slow cancer growth. “Marine organisms generate compounds with structures rarely found in land-dwelling animals,” said Marwa Farrag, the study’s lead author and a PhD candidate at UM. She emphasized that the sugars found in sea cucumbers are particularly distinct and worth investigating. Human cells are coated with glycans—complex carbohydrate structures that play a key role in communication and immune function. When glycans are modified in abnormal ways, they can contribute to cancer spreading, or metastasis. A specific enzyme, Sulf-2 (heparan-6-O-endosulfatase 2), is known to alter glycans and has been linked to cancer development. Vitor Pomin, corresponding author and associate professor at UM, explained: “Think of glycans like dense forests on the cell surface. Enzymes like Sulf-2 reshape these forests, which can encourage cancer growth. Blocking Sulf-2 may slow or prevent the spread of cancer.” The research focused on a complex sugar molecule—fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (HfFucCS)—found in Holothuria floridana, a species of sea cucumber. Through lab experiments and computer simulations, scientists confirmed that HfFucCS inhibits Sulf-2. “What we observed in our lab matched the predictions from our simulations, which increases our confidence in the results,” noted co-author Robert Doerksen, a professor of medicinal chemistry at UM. Crucially, HfFucCS does not disrupt blood clotting, a common side effect of other drugs that target Sulf-2. Joshua Sharp, associate professor of pharmacology at UM, explained that avoiding interference with blood coagulation reduces the risk of dangerous side effects like internal bleeding. Researchers also noted the advantages of using natural sources like sea cucumbers for medicinal compounds. Many drugs, such as those derived from animals like pigs, are still harvested naturally due to the complexity of synthesizing them in a lab. Despite these benefits, sea cucumbers are not an infinite resource—they’re a widely consumed delicacy in Asia. This has led researchers to explore synthetic production methods for HfFucCS. “One limitation is that we can’t rely on harvesting large numbers of sea cucumbers,” said Pomin. “We need a reliable chemical method to produce this compound at scale. Once that’s developed, we can start testing it in animal models.” The full findings are available in the journal Glycobiology. Source: University of Mississippi