The amount of protein in the diet affects the immune cells' fight against cancerous tumors
Scientists from the United States and Italy investigated the effect of the diet of laboratory mice with breast cancer on the immune system. They found that by increasing the amount of protein consumed, it was possible to "program" tumor-associated macrophages to fight the cancer.Mediators to trigger cell division and inhibit apoptosis (programmed cell death) are the amino acids that make up proteins. If the amount of protein in the diet of a mouse with breast cancer is below the norm (2% by weight), the processes of inhibition of cell death in the tumor are activated, which leads to its active growth. If the quantity of protein corresponds to norm (15%), then apoptosis is started in cancer cells, they become less aggressive and more subject to destruction by macrophages associated with the tumor.
Tumor-associated macrophages are cells of the immune system that fight various neoplasms in the body. Often, however, aggressive cancer cells are so active that they suppress immune cell activity. In tumor cells, molecular mechanisms are triggered that, on the one hand, prevent natural cell death - apoptosis - and, on the other hand, trigger active cell division, which causes cancerous tumors to grow so rapidly.
The same reaction cascades exist in macrophages, but they work differently: in healthy cells, the processes of division are much slower, and apoptosis is not suppressed. Therefore, scientists are looking for ways to reduce the activity of tumor cells and activate macrophages that destroy tumors.
Thus, normal protein consumption and the discovered molecular interactions of amino acids and intracellular signaling pathways contribute to the efficiency of our own immune cells, and could become one of the tools of cancer immunotherapy.