NFkB is a protein that has a critical role in many cancers, arthritis and asthma. It can switch off the natural death process of cells, allowing some cancerous cells to multiply. Researchers have been studying marine animals including sponges, corals and sea lilies to see whether any of these can prevent NFkB from working.
The researchers have found that one of the molecules isolated during the study can allow normal cell death to restart again. This property is being investigated in more detail.
A compound isolated from a Mediterranean sponge variety can create spores in cell membranes that can be reversed. This property is considered to have vast potential, including drug delivery to desired places in the body. The possibility of using this molecule to deliver drugs to tumors, genes for cystic fibrosis and drugs into the eye are being investigated.
The examples above illustrate the new possibilities that marine life offers for curing diseases. The oceans are also the source of many products with health benefit claims. The potential has hardly been explored.
It is in this context that the Census of Marine Life (COML) becomes significant. The census is a global network of researchers in more than 80 countries. The ten-year scientific initiative is intended to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans.
A great deal of information, with stunning pictures, is available at the COML website.
Tags: biotechnology, cures for diseases, marine life census, marine organisms
