The consumption of meat has been linked to a wide variety of health problems, particularly when it is not correctly stored, prepared, or handled. But do you know that this food can also strengthen your immune system, enhancing your ability to fight against diseases like cancer?
The latest study indicates that the nutrients present in red meat may lower your risk of developing this kind of disease.
Based on new research conducted at the University of Chicago, a nutrient called Trans-vaccenic acid (TVA) present in red meat and dairy products could help the ability of our bodies to penetrate and fight off cancer cells. As mentioned, human bodies cannot produce TVA independently since it is a long-chain fatty acid. Only about 700 recognized metabolites derived from food, including TVA, are in our bloodstream.
The team of the research author Jing Chen, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, compiled all of these chemical compounds into a database for the current study, which was eventually published in the Journal Nature. The researchers then investigated if any of the molecules could impact the immune system's capacity to combat cancer cells.
The group primarily focused on their capacity to stimulate CD8+ T cells, a subset of white blood cells commonly called killer T cells. When it comes to locating and eliminating infected cells and, in this particular instance, tumors, these cells serve as the body's trained team of fighters.
The top six candidates were tested in human and mouse cells, and TVA performed best. "TVA enhances CD8+ T cell function and thus promotes T cell-based immune system response to battle tumor growth," Professor Chen explained. Moreover, to determine how TVA slowed the development of tumors, the scientists used a new genetic sequencing method to reveal that TVA deactivates GPR43, a cell surface receptor.
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Accordingly, fiber fermentation in the colon generates short-chain fatty acids, stimulating GPR43 activation by intestinal microorganisms. Through TVA, GPR43 was rendered inactive, and the CREB pathway, which is involved in a wide range of physiological functions, including the proliferation of cells and the activity of many genes, was activated instead.
In addition, the final analysis involved blood samples from people receiving a cancer treatment that alters T cells to combat blood malignancies like lymphoma. Compared to patients who had lower amounts of the metabolite, those who had higher levels of TVA in their blood tended to respond more favorably to any treatment they received. Thus, TVA boosted targeted therapy's capacity to kill leukemia cells in lab tests.
According to Professor Chen, it is essential to discover the optimal quantity of the nutrient itself, not the food source, to decide whether or not TVA might be utilized as a dietary supplement to assist in the treatment of various cancer treatments dependent on T cells. Increasing evidence suggests that excessive red meat and dairy consumption can have adverse health effects; therefore, this finding should not be interpreted as justification for increasing cheeseburger and pizza consumption.
On the other hand, nutrient supplements, such as TVA, may reportedly have the potential to enhance T cell activity. Furthermore, Professor Chen believes there might be additional nutrients capable of performing the same function. He noted that the initial study shows that other fatty acids from plants communicate through a similar receptor, making them think plant nutrients can also activate the CREB pathway.
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