SE Valley Times

Sponges, some of the oldest animals on Earth, are providing new insights into cancer research. A study conducted by researchers at Arizona State University (ASU) has focused on a species of sponge called Tethya wilhelma. These sponges have shown a remarkable ability to withstand radiation and resist cancer.

The research highlights that there are no recorded cases of cancer in sponges despite their long lifespans and continuous cell renewal. The study provides experimental evidence that T. wilhelma sponges survive heavy doses of radiation with minimal DNA damage and do not develop cancer. This suggests an extraordinary ability to repair or prevent radiation-induced DNA damage.

Carlo Maley, who led the study, noted: “The level of X-ray radiation we used should absolutely obliterate the DNA in these sponges, but they seem to just shrug it off. It’s the closest thing to a superpower that I’ve ever seen.” Maley is part of ASU's Biodesign Center for Biocomputing, Security and Society and serves as director of the Arizona Cancer Evolution Center.

Joining Maley in this research were ASU colleagues Angelo Fortunato, Jake Taylor, Jonathan Scirone, Sareh Seyedi, and Athena Aktipis.

Cancer remains a significant challenge for humans as it is the second-leading cause of death. Multicellular organisms share a vulnerability to cancer due to cooperative cell division which can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation when mutations occur.

Despite their long lifespans, sponges appear to have low cancer rates. The new study shows that T. wilhelma sponges can endure extreme levels of radiation—up to 100 times the lethal dose for humans—without developing cancer. Only 8% of their cells showed DNA shattering after exposure.

Advanced genetic analysis revealed that these sponges activate genes linked to DNA repair and stress response more effectively than humans do. Some identified genes are also related to embryonic development, indicating that sponges might reset their cells after damage.

These findings could lead to identifying new mechanisms for DNA protection and repair or even sponge-derived molecules for developing drugs against radiation and cancer.

Sponges inhabit various environments from shallow reefs to deep seas and exhibit resilience under extreme conditions. They lack nervous systems but efficiently filter water using specialized cells called choanocytes.

This study opens new avenues for medical research by uncovering sponge resilience mechanisms which may eventually contribute to breakthroughs in cancer prevention and treatments protecting human cells from radiation damage.