Could a Keto Diet Supercharge Cancer Immunotherapy?
A groundbreaking study suggests that a ketogenic diet could significantly enhance the effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapy, a revolutionary cancer treatment. Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center have found that a ketogenic diet, rich in fats and low in carbohydrates, boosts CAR T cell activity, leading to improved tumor control and survival in mice with lymphoma.
The Key: Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB)
The secret behind this remarkable finding lies in
beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), a metabolite produced by the liver during ketosis, the metabolic state induced by a ketogenic diet. The study revealed that CAR T cells thrive on BHB, utilizing it as fuel more efficiently than glucose.
Unveiling the Mechanism: Higher BHB, Stronger CAR T-Cells
In laboratory models, mice receiving a ketogenic diet demonstrated superior tumor control and prolonged survival compared to mice on other diets. Further investigations confirmed a direct correlation between higher BHB levels and enhanced CAR T cell function:
- Increased tumor control and survival in mice on a ketogenic diet.
- CAR T cells exhibit a strong preference for BHB over glucose as an energy source.
- BHB supplementation significantly boosts CAR T cell expansion and activation in cancer models.
cette pratique est en cours d’évaluation dans des essais cliniques.’
There is increasing reason for hope in the fight against cancer!
This exciting breakthrough offers hope for improving CAR T cell therapy, a groundbreaking treatment that involves genetically engineering a patient’s own immune cells (T cells) to target and destroy cancer cells.
**Clinical Trials Commence**
The potential of this diet-based approach is now being tested in a Phase I clinical trial at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. The trial