Nutritional approach for activation of tumor immunity: mechanisms and therapeutic applications

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19748
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 59:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Miyagi Prefectural Hospital Organization Miyagi Cancer Center
• Principal Investigator: Ito Shigemi 地方独立行政法人宮城県立病院機構宮城県立がんセンター(研究所), がん薬物療法研究部, 特任研究員 (80600006)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 田沼 延公 地方独立行政法人宮城県立病院機構宮城県立がんセンター(研究所), がん薬物療法研究部, 部長 (40333645)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 腫瘍免疫 / ビタミン / ナイアシン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, much attention has been paid to the crosstalk between diet and tumor immunity. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism where the restriction of dietary niacin upregulates tumor immunity. By modifying diet and genetically engineered models in mice, we found that dietary nicotinic acid is converted to nicotinic acid riboside, which circulates in the blood. Niacin restriction markedly reduced blood nicotinic acid riboside concentrations. On the other hand, niacin restriction also resulted in rapid changes in the gut microbiota. These findings suggest that niacin restriction stimulates tumor immunity via either or both of these two mechanisms.

Free Research Field

腫瘍学、栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年のがん免疫療法の発展は目覚ましいが、耐性症例の多さなど、課題も多い。その一部は、例えば腫瘍ごとに異なる腫瘍ネオ抗原の多寡などで説明されるようになったが、未だ不明の点が多い。本研究では、食事が腫瘍免疫の活性に影響し得ることを実験的に示した。さらにその作用メカニズムの一端として、血中栄養素レベルの変動と腸内細菌叢の変化を同定した。さらなるメカニズム解明や、新規イムノセラピーへの発展が期待される。