New research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Abramson Cancer Center, hints at an exciting new approach to improving CAR T cell therapy through a simple dietary supplement.
Although clinical trials are needed to further investigate this strategy, initial results showcased at the recent 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting suggest that this method could be a budget-friendly way to boost the effectiveness of CAR T cells in cancer treatment.
Understanding CAR T Cell Therapy
CAR T cell therapy is a cutting-edge treatment that involves customizing a patient’s immune cells so they can specifically target and destroy tumors.
In experiments with mice, a ketogenic diet significantly outperformed other dietary strategies in controlling tumors and enhancing survival rates.
The researchers pinpointed beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) — a compound produced by the liver when on a ketogenic diet — as a key factor behind these promising results.
The findings indicated that CAR T cells thrive on BHB for energy, rather than relying on traditional sugars like glucose.
This suggests that increasing BHB levels could make CAR T cells even more capable of attacking cancer cells.
Promising Laboratory Results
Initial laboratory tests using human cancer models revealed promising results when BHB was paired with CAR T cell therapy.
Remarkably, nearly all the mice in this treatment group achieved full tumor elimination, and there was a notable activation of CAR T cells.
Blood samples taken from patients post-CAR T cell therapy showed a positive relationship between higher BHB levels and increased CAR T cell growth.
Encouraged by these results, the research team is now planning a Phase I clinical trial to explore the safety and effectiveness of BHB supplementation for patients with large B-cell lymphoma undergoing CAR T cell treatment.
Future Directions in Cancer Treatment
The researchers believe this approach could serve as a low-cost and low-risk option to enhance the standard effectiveness of cancer therapies, pending the results of these clinical trials.
As they move forward, the potential of this dietary strategy could represent an innovative shift in cancer treatment methods.
Source: ScienceDaily