Marine microbial enzymes as the next frontier in combating chronic inflammation, cancer, and global antimicrobial resistance

Marine microbial enzymes exhibit superior biochemical properties compared to their terrestrial counterparts due to adaptations to extreme marine conditions, including high salinity, temperature fluctuations, hydrostatic pressure, and nutrient limitation. These adaptations confer enhanced thermostability, halotolerance, psychrophilicity, and catalytic efficiency. This review evaluates their biomedical potential in managing chronic inflammation, malignancies, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) associated with chronic infections. Enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), laccase, and chitinase mitigate oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling by modulating superoxide radicals and key mediators (NF-κB, MAPK, and pro-inflammatory cytokines), demonstrating promise for the treatment of autoimmune, neuroinflammatory, and metabolic disorders. In oncology, marine L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase exploit tumor-specific amino acid auxotrophies, while marine proteases and lipases target extracellular matrix remodeling and selective oxidative pathways. For AMR, chitinases, serine/alkaline proteases, and alginate lyases disrupt biofilm extracellular polymeric substances, achieving 60–69% biofilm reduction in multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus , thereby enhancing antibiotic penetration. Despite strong in vitro and preclinical evidence, limited in vivo and clinical data remain the primary barrier to translation. Recent advances in metagenomics, protein engineering, recombinant expression systems, nanoparticle delivery, and artificial intelligence have overcome several production and stability challenges. However, major research gaps include limited in vivo validation, insufficient pharmacokinetic and immunogenicity studies, and lack of standardized clinical trials. Future research should prioritize protein engineering, advanced delivery systems, AI-guided enzyme discovery, and translational clinical evaluation.