Recent research unveiled at the American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting has identified a promising development in cancer treatment. A key element of the ketogenic diet, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which the body produces when burning fat instead of glucose, has been shown to enhance the effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapy, a cutting-edge immunotherapy approach.
The study indicates that both mice and humans with elevated BHB levels have shown a better response to this therapy. The secret seems to lie in BHB’s role as an alternative fuel source for CAR T-cells. “Our hypothesis is that CAR T-cells thrive on BHB instead of glucose, providing them with enhanced capabilities to target and destroy cancer cells,” explained Puneeth Guruprasad from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
Blood samples from recent CAR T-cell therapy recipients demonstrated higher activity in immune cells when BHB levels were increased. Inspired by these findings, researchers are gearing up for clinical trials to test BHB supplements’ potential in further boosting CAR T-cell effectiveness.
Maayan Levy, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, expressed optimism: “This approach is not only cost-effective but also low in toxicity, paving the way for integrating such simple strategies with other dietary or traditional treatment methods to amplify the anti-cancer effects.”
