5 Incredible Ways Sponges Might Save Your Life

This is a follow on post to our recent one on natural products derived from sponges (and their micrrobes). 

The structure of Kapakahine E from a dissertation on the synthesis of this compound.

 

• 1) A large, baby pink tube shaped sponge contains a big secret; Niphates olemda [previously known as Cribrochalina olemda] contains a metabolite (an organic compound that allows organisms to function), Kapakahine, that is toxic to leukemia cells in mice. This means that it might be able to eliminate leukemia cells in humans. Just imagine, we could live in a world where leukemia is more easily treated. And that isn't the only sponge holding potential for future leukemia treatments. Just a ferry ride away from Tokyo lies Theonella swinoei a sponge living in the coral reefs around the volcanic Hachijo-jima Island in Japan. These sponges have benzoic acid derivatives that are also capable of killing mouse leukemia cells. For the sponge, these benzoic acid derivatives  are alkaloids that are toxic to predatory fish.

 

 

View from Noboryu Peak in Hachijo-jima Island, an island formed by two volcanoes (Photo By Hirohiro Akabane)

• 2) Every year in the UK, 2,200 people aged 15 to 25 are diagnosed with Carcinoma, a cancer that grows in tissue cells. One sponge that could help end the battle of carcinoma is Polymastia tenax found in the Columbian Caribbean. Metabolites in the sponge are capable of killing cancer cells in human lung (A-549), human colon (HT-29 and H-116), and human prostate (PC-3) carcinomas. If it were to pass clinical trials, it could become a treatment helping to stem longterm injury or death caused by carcinomas.

Large cell lung carcinoma, something that could be attacked with compounds from sponges. (from Wikimedia commons)

The chemical structure of Dihydropyridine, a class of compounds that have neuroprotective abilities. 

• 3) Many families know the arduous impact dementia can have, with people describing it is the same as losing someone completely. Dementia can happen due to genetics, age, physical activity levels, and other factors. Even HIV can cause the brain to be more susceptible to mental ailments like Dementia. Compounds derived from sponges have been shown to have Neuroprotective abilities, which means that they can protect brain and nerve tissues from being damaged by viruses and toxic compounds. Dihydropyridine is a chemical class of compounds produced by sponge-microbe associations that could play a role in preventing or managing dementia.  

 

• 4) In the past 50 years HIV has become a huge societal problem. Many treatments have been introduced in order to reduce the effect of this destructive virus, but most treatments are dependent on Tat (Trans-Activated Transcription) in the virus, a protein that helps HIV replicate. Some sponges contain a compound called Cortistatin A, which binds itself with Tat and stops the virus from replicating. Preventing the virus from replication could make it much easier to treat. 

Tectitethya crypta, a sponge from the Caribbean, has been studied for medicinal purposes for decades. (Photo by Sven Zea at spongeguide.org)

• 5) From Mary Shelly’s book The Last Man, about the last survivors of a worldwide pandemic, to modern movies like I am Legend and Contagion, we have always been fascinated by untreatable diseases that take over the world. These stories capitalize on our fear of diseases that can’t be treated. In the modern world with the widespread (and often inappropriate) use of antibacterial drugs, many different bacterial strains have evolved resistance to drugs. Don’t worry, you can stop building your apocalypse bunker now, because nearly 150 different compounds isolated from sponges between 2001 and 2010 show antibacterial activities. 

New compounds isolated from sponges from 2001-2010, organized by bioactivity (from Mehbub et al. "Marine Sponge Derived Natural Products between 2001 and 2010: Trends and Opportunities for Discovery of Bioactives".

 

By—Zoe Grabenstetter, Intern [Editor: Allen Collins]

 

Comments

[Sandro Matuguina Dales]

Sir please guide me.

[Sandro Matuguina Dales]

Hello good day, I'm Sandro matuguina dales a marine biologist student from the vusayas state university Philippines. I just read the article and I was being amazed how can sponge help us. I'm actually a senior grade in our school and I'm interested in studying the sponge but eventually I don't have any ideas where I can start and also our university are lack of equipments in the laboratory were I can start my studies I hope you'll help me in this study. gsantafep@gmail.com sir, can you be my adviser on this study.

[Gilmar Santafe Patiño]

Good Evening: My name is Gilmar Santafe. I just read the article you posted on the Sponge Polymastia tenax. I am glad that the results of my Ph research study in 2002 have awaken your interest and hopefully many others can pursue further studies on this sponge. If you require any further information on my study you can contact me.
REgards
Gilmar Santafe
Professor at University of Córdoba, Montería Colombia
gsantafep@gmail.com