A new study published in the journal Nature Signal Transduction and Targeted TherapyScientists have examined the therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms through which dietary interventions impact a wide range of human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic diseases, as well as cancer.
To work: Effects of dietary intervention on human diseases: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential.. Image Credit: udra11/Shutterstock.com
Background
Diet and nutrition play a fundamental role in human health; The quantity, composition and quality of the diet and meal times are important determining factors for the availability of nutrients, which in turn regulate physiological processes.
Recent research has also focused on understanding how diet affects disease course. However, there is still a lack of information on the impact of specific dietary components on disease prevention or risk.
Results from several epidemiological studies have found that certain dietary patterns modulate the risk of various diseases, including cancer.
While diets rich in sugar and saturated fats have been found to increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, diets containing large amounts of vegetables, fruits and fiber are believed to reduce the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Similarly, a diet high in processed meat and alcohol is thought to increase the risk of cancer, while a Mediterranean diet is thought to reduce the risk of cancer.
Tumor metabolic pathways and nutrient availability
Researchers reviewed current knowledge about differences in nutrient requirements and metabolic pathways between the tumor microenvironment and surrounding healthy tissues.
The immunosuppressive environment within tumors is a result of cancer cells depriving immune cells of essential metabolites such as oxygen and glucose; meanwhile, it increases levels of adenosine, lactase, and other mediators that further reduce immune cell function.
Metabolic reprogramming occurring in the tumor microenvironment affects diverse immune cell subsets.
Major metabolic pathways in immune cells that are believed to be reprogrammed in the tumor microenvironment include the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, oxidative phosphorylation, amino acid pathway, and fatty acid synthesis.
The review examined each of these pathways for changes in nutritional requirements and metabolic properties in the tumor microenvironment.
Dietary interventions and cancer
The impact of dietary interventions on diseases, including cancer, can be better resolved with a full understanding of the metabolic pathways of macronutrients such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Systemic metabolism can be modulated by regulating macronutrient intake and influencing the metabolic pathways used by these macronutrients.
Special diets such as ketogenic diets, calorie-restricted diets, high-fat diets, fasting-mimicking diets, and even high-salt diets as well as dietary restrictions are based on the concept of systemic metabolism modifications through macronutrient intake modulations.
The review discusses these various dietary interventions in detail and provides a comprehensive summary of the molecular mechanisms by which specific diets influence clinical outcomes in cancer patients.
The researchers also reviewed studies evaluating the role of dietary factors in cancer treatment, particularly the use of nutritional interventions to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy and other cancer treatments.
Calorie restrictions were found to increase the response of T cells to immunotherapy. In contrast, the use of calorie restriction mimics increased the effectiveness of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Calorie restriction has also been found to be effective in modulating the tumor microenvironment when combined with radiotherapy in cases of triple-negative breast cancer.
The review comprehensively analyzed findings from several studies examining the effectiveness of specific dietary restrictions in combination with various cancer treatments in modulating the tumor microenvironment.
Scientists also discussed changes induced in the gut microbiome through dietary interventions and the effectiveness of gut microbiome changes in conjunction with cancer treatment.
Studies have found that changes in gut microbiome diversity and composition due to dietary interventions alter levels of microbiota-derived metabolites that directly impact antitumor activity.
Dietary interventions and other diseases
The review also discussed the role of dietary interventions in preventing or delaying, and sometimes even triggering the progression of, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, metabolic and autoimmune diseases.
They examined the link between food availability, dietary patterns, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and Huntington’s disease.
The impact of dietary interventions on autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis are also discussed in this review.
Solution
Overall, the findings from this review showed that dietary interventions play an important role in human health and disease, with some interventions, alone or in combination with other therapies, slowing the progression of diseases such as cancer or improving the effectiveness of treatment methods. and others increase the risk of various diseases.