Immunity: Metabolites of pomegranate can enhance the function of anti-tumor immune cells

Colorectal cancer remains a disease
with a high mortality rate at an advanced stage.
In recent years, many studies have improved early diagnosis and treatment, but unfortunately, not all patients respond adequately to
new treatments.
Current research suggests that a feature of oncological diseases is immune dysfunction: immune cells that are supposed to fight tumors are systematically suppressed
by the tissues surrounding the tumor, the tumor microenvironment.
As a result, T cells, our body's natural immune response to cancer, have limited function, leaving tumor growth and spread unchecked
.

The research team, led by Professor Florian Grinton of the Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics at Goethe University Frankfurt, is now a big step closer to a possible solution
to this problem.
The researchers showed that urolithin A induces a biological pathway that circulates and renews mitochondria through a process called mitochondrial phagocytosis, which are the "powerhouses"
of cells in T cells.
Aging and damaged mitochondria in T cells are removed and replaced with new, functional mitochondria
.
This alters the genetic program of the T cell, making it more capable of fighting tumors
.
The researchers demonstrated the therapeutic potential of urolithin A in two ways: on the one hand, in preclinical models, urolithin A could be used as food, it could limit tumor growth, and even work
synergistically with existing immunotherapies.
On the other hand, the benefits
of urinary phospholipid A have also been observed in human T cells.
In vitro treatment with urolithin A can "rejuvenate" human T cells, generating memory T memory stem cells
in the laboratory.

Dr.
Dominique Dank, MD, a doctor at the University Hospital Frankfurt and first author of the study, explains: "Our findings are particularly exciting because the focus is not on cancer cells, but on the immune system, which is the natural defense
against cancer.
This is where reliable treatments are still lacking in
the reality of rectal cancer patients.
Through combination therapies that may improve existing immunotherapies, the study opens up meaningful possibilities
for further clinical application.
We hope to use it to continuously improve the treatment of colorectal cancer, as well as the treatment
of other cancers.
”

On the basis of these findings, the researchers plan to continue the successful collaboration: in future clinical trials, the use
of urolithiin A in colorectal cancer patients will be studied.

Professor Greten, director of George-Speyer-Haus and spokesperson for the Frankfurt Cancer Institute, stressed the need for teamwork: "This work once again demonstrates how successful
FCI's interdisciplinary concept is.
We are very pleased that we can now quickly transfer our results to the clinic and are very excited to look forward to upcoming clinical trials
.
" ”