A fatty acid Present in the meat of ruminant mammals and in dairy products from grazing animals, it is capable of improving the response of the body’s immune system to cancer. These are the conclusions of a study developed by researchers from the University of Chicago (United States) and published today by the magazine Nature.
The work, titled ‘Trans-vaccenic acid reprograms CD8+ T cells and anti-tumor immunity‘ (“Transvaccenic acid reprograms CD8+ T cells and antitumor immunity”), points out that the trans-vaccenic acid (TVA) It is capable of increasing the capacity of cells to infiltrate tumors and eliminate cancer cells, thus opening a new avenue of research in the development of cancer treatments.
In statements to SMC Spain, Nabil Djouderhead of the Growth Factors, Nutrients and Cancer Group at the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), considers that it is a revealing study regarding the role they play specific nutrients in the diet of patients to treat cancer, thanks to its ability to modify the body’s immune response.
TVA is a chemical compound from the group of unsaturated fatty acids which is located in the fat of ruminant mammals, blood plasma, fish oil and bacteria Lactobacillus used for the fermentation of milk, yogurt and other dairy products.
In Djouder’s opinion, it is a remarkable work that has been carefully carried out, and whose conclusions “convincingly suggest its possible translational application in cancer treatment.” This researcher’s group has carried out work along similar lines that demonstrate the role of diet in prevention both cancer and other diseases.
However, he warns, “this It does not mean that meat is a protective factor against cancer”, and remembers that various epidemiological studies have shown an association between high consumption of red and processed meat with the development of various types of cancer, especially colorectal, although the exact reason is not yet known, which may be multifactorial.
Djouder insists that the best prevention against cancer is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, with a balance dietmoderate and varied that provides all the essential nutrients according to the needs of each person.
The study published in Nature is encouraging in the sense that it “opens the door to the development of more focused and effective treatments”, focused on the use of precision nutrition in therapies against cancer. In fact, compounds could be designed synthetics specific ones such as the fatty acids of this work, adapted more effectively to each patient.
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