Sharks Studied for Human Cancer Cures

California Divers International Shark Attack File Reports Zero Shark attacks on Scuba Divers in 2015

Sharks could be key to treat human cancer, wounds and fight bacterial infections. Scientists mapping Sharks DNA describe the Sharks´s immune system as a “Treasure”. Under the field of Marine Biomedicine and Marine Immunology they are leading the way in innovative ways to explore Ocean resources in a non-invasive and sustainable way for the benefit of both Ocean and Human Health. 

The Sun Sentinel reported on June 19 from Palm Peach on the work of Dr. Mahmood Shivji of Nova Southeastern University NSU which working with Cornell University recognized much of humans in the Shark´s DNA map.   

“Dr. Mahmood Shivji and other NSU researchers are looking into how shark's amazing powers of healing might also apply to humans,” Sun Sentinel reported. NSU researchers are not alone in this field of work. Lead Senior Scientists of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota Florida, Researchers from the University of Miami and other organizations are part of the Shark Medical Pack. 

Professor Shivji told the media that he was excited and amazed to find that “sharks are genetically more similar to humans than to other sea-going creatures”. His research took a quantum step forward and is now trying to establish concrete ways in which this new information can be put to its best use. According to the Professor Humans can benefit from this DNA similarity. 

The professor is focusing on the immunological system which has enabled sharks to live and strive for over 400 million years and how this system could fight cancer tumours, heal wounds, build stronger teeth replacements and put a break on bacterial infections. 

Professor Shivji is also the director of NSU's Save Our Seas Shark Research Center and the Guy Harvey Research Institute. They have been busy for the past decades with real on ground science, tagging, researching, monitoring and taking on conservation science. 

Shivji assures that he has been first hand witness on how sharks heal rapidly. During one of the many Institute's Shark Tagging and Tracking program the professor saw a grievously wounded shark almost completely healed in a few weeks. “In six months it barely had a scar,” Shivji stated. 

"Sharks are a potential treasure trove," Professor Shivji added. "We are making progress towards uncovering intriguing genetic functioning in these animals that are also hinting at future medical applications for humans."

As mentioned before Professor Shivji and the Save our Seas Shark Research Center are not alone in this search. The Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Florida has been culturing shark immune cells to see which compounds inhibit the growth of certain kinds of tumor cells. Researchers of the University of Miami are looking into how Sharks deal with bioaccumulation -cycle in which toxins like mercury biological accumulate in living organisms as they move through natural feeding up the food webs. 

In reality it takes years of study, research and development for Biomedical and Immunological Research to be complete and off the shelf. Unlike other sectors DNA mapping usually leads to the generation of synthetic antibiotics or similar drugs which then pass through rigorous testing phases. To conduct the research in non-intrusive ways becomes of paramount importance especially considering that sharks are Endangered, Threatened or Near Threatened species.  

National Geographic in the Lords of the Seas details the status of every Shark specie living today. Whale Sharks are listed as Vulnerable, Great Hammerheads: Endangered, Great White Sharks: Vulnerable, Greenland Shark: Near Threatened, Tiger Shark: Near Threatened: Bluntnose Sixgill: Near Threatened, Whitetip Sharks: Vulnerable, Angel Sharks: Critically Endangered and the list goes on and on...you get the picture. 

Professor Shivji told the Sun Sentinel that Sharks have been “demonized” by society. “If people could see them more like partners in helping to understand evolution and fighting diseases…” Shivji added. 

"Like any wild animal, sharks bite. But dog bites kill more people," the Professor ended the debate. 

National Geographic recognizes that the number of unprovoked shark attack registered have increased since 1900 according to the International Shark Attack File but links the fact to increasing population as well as better reporting. 

The Florida Museum of Natural History says that “an ocean swimmer has only a one in 11.5 million chance of being bitten by a shark”. Although things are different for surfers who tend to spend days and days out in the ocean and display movements such as splashes which can lead to sharks confusing them with prey. 

Sea Shepherd warns that we should see the big picture. “Humans kill 100 million sharks a year...and for what? To use shark fins for a tasteless bowl of soup, shark teeth for jewelry, shark jaws for tourist souvenirs, shark skin for leather wallets-belts, shark cartilage capsules and powders for phony medicinal cures and shark liver oil for cosmetics-skin care products,” the Black-Flagged Organization sailing the seas for marine wildlife assures adding that 90% of World's Shark Populations have already been wiped out. 

“This threatens the stability of marine ecosystems around the world. Sharks are vitally important apex predators. They have shaped marine life in the oceans for over 400 million years and are essential to the health of the planet, and ultimately to the survival of mankind,” Sea Shepherd campaigns. 

Professor Shivji at Save Our Seas has a different approach for Illegal International Shark Fin Trade. Save Our Seas uses DNA not only to discover and map shark populations but to monitor the source of fins in International Trade. 

“Though the DNA forensic tools pioneered by the SOSSRC and Guy Harvey Research Institute we can rapidly determine the species of Shark from market-derived products,” Save Our Seas says. 

They explain that because the geographic population divisions of most globally distributed sharks is poorly known it is nearly impossible to determine the general geographic area that traded shark products originated from. If more DNA studies were conducted globally this could be reversed.

“The discovery of discrete shark genetic stocks also provides an opportunity to track the geographic origin of shark products already in International Markets that are distant from fishing sites. The information being provided is essential for developing tougher National Legislation and International Treaties to help the recovery of sharks on a Global scale,” Save Our Seas says.

Sun Sentinel reported that at NSU the work that Shivji and his team is doing was made possible through the Human Genome Project, completed in 2003. The same mapping has been done for Sharks and the NSU team is "investigating these evolutionary marvels at the most fundamental level possible," Shivji said.

Going technical Shivji refers to a “special class of antibodies” -immune system which attacks cells which are much smaller in size than those which the human antibodies are. “Some researchers think they can be used to deliver cancer-killing drugs to tumors in humans because their small size will enable them to more easily penetrate tumor tissues, ” Shivji told the Sun.

“The proteins that make up shark skin also inhibit the growth of bacteria. It's inspiring the formulation of materials that can be used in hospitals to reduce the high incidence of bacterial contamination,” the Professor added 

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium with hands on almost anything worth doing when it comes to Ocean science agrees with the work of the Professor and has been working on similar programs of research for years. 

“Basic immunological research with marine species contributes to a better understanding of how the immune systems of different species operate and may lead to important and groundbreaking insights into the evolution of human immunology -as well as possible benefit for human health,” their Marine Immunology team says. 

Current Mote research projects include Shark´s Immune Systems cell studies, Stingrays´ wound healing and protective role of their surface mucus and effects of red tide on the health of Manatees and Turtles -program they work with the support of NOAA and funding of the Department of Defense.

Mote´s Shark Immunological Research has the goal of isolating, identifying and describing the bioactive factors produced by cultures of Shark immune cells. 

“Studies by Mote Marine scientists have shown that these immune cell derived factors can inhibit the growth of human tumor cell lines. Studies also focus on understanding the cellular pathways activated by these factors that result in Tumor Cell Death,” amazingly Mote states. 

Mote is also looking into generating novel antimicrobial antibiotic compounds from the microbial composition of the surface mucus produced by Stingrays and looking into how Stingrays heal wounds. Stingrays -like Sharks are known for healing rapidly and “infection-free”. 

With the support of NOAA Mote is studying the effects which Red Tides have on Turtles and Manatees, their exposure in seas and how they deal with it. 

Senior Scientist, Dr. Carl Luer has been working in Mote since 1979. He started with the vision of creating “marine biomedical research programs”. For decades he has been working with sharks, skates and rays systems as models and mapped out biochemical responses to chemical carcinogens. 

“The Answers are in the Ocean,” Mote says. 

“Our ideas, like the Ocean, must be expansive,” Mote ends it.