Ketogenic Diet May Boost Effectiveness of CAR T Cell Cancer Treatment
A new study suggests that a simple dietary supplement in conjunction with a ketogenic diet could enhance the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy, a personalized cancer treatment that re-engineers patients’ own immune cells to combat tumors. While further clinical trials are necessary, the early research findings indicate a potentially cost-effective strategy to improve CAR T-cell function and cancer-fighting abilities.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, focused on the impact of various diets on CAR T-cell activity. A mouse model of diffuse-large B-cell lymphoma was used to test the effects of ketogenic, high-fiber, high-fat, high-protein, high-cholesterol, and a control diet.
Ketogenic Diet Shows Promise
The results revealed improved tumor control and survival in mice that followed a ketogenic diet compared to other dietary groups.
Subsequent investigations identified a key mediator of this effect: beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). BHB is a metabolite produced by the liver in response to a ketogenic diet.
“Our theory is that CAR T cells prefer BHB as a fuel source rather than standard sugars, such as glucose, that our bodies typically use,” explained Puneeth Guruprasad, a medical student and co-lead author of the study. “Increasing levels of BHB in the body provides CAR T cells with more energy to eliminate cancer cells.”
Clinical Trial Underway
The hypothesis that BHB supplementation could enhance the responsiveness to CAR T-cell therapy is currently being evaluated in a Phase I clinical trial at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center.
“This intervention is relatively inexpensive and has minimal toxicity potential,” stated Maayan Levy, PhD, an assistant professor of Microbiology and a co-author of the study. “If the clinical trial data confirms these promising initial findings, I envision the potential to combine this simple approach with dietary interventions or traditional cancer therapies to further enhance the anti-cancer effects.”
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