cytokines Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Researchers Find Natural Mechanism to Sensitize Cancer to Immunotherapy

AHA Publisher — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:00:02 +0000

Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan via Newswise – Researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center found that a cytokine, a category of protein that acts as messengers in the body, and a fatty acid can work together to trigger a type of cell death previously defined by studies with synthetic molecules. The study, published in Cancer Cell, looked at cell cultures and in vivo mouse experiments to see how the release of a T-cell cytokine called interferon gamma combined with arachidonic acid, a fatty acid, leads to a type of cell death called ferroptosis via targeting the enzyme ACSL4. Ferroptosis has been found to occur in tumor cells and play a role in cancer immunity. Understanding how ferroptosis occurs could open pathways to make immunotherapy treatments more effective. “Targeting ACSL4 may help in understanding and expanding possible immunotherapy options,” said Weiping Zou, M.D., Ph.D., director the Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy and lead researcher on this study. Zou explains that this natural mechanism begins when activated T-cells release interferon gamma, a signaling protein. “It’s well known that interferon gamma is involved in anti-tumor responses,” said Zou. “But in this study, we defined a new way that it works.” This study shows that combining interferon gamma with arachidonic acid, a fatty acid found in the tumor microenvironment, activates ACSL4, alters tumor cell lipid pattern, and naturally induces tumor cell ferroptosis. “ACSL4-dependent tumor ferroptosis is a mode of action of killer T cells,” said Zou. “Targeting ACSL4 sensitizes cancer to immunotherapy.” Zou’s lab was the first to identify a role for ferroptosis in cancer immunity and therapy, highlighting the possibility of targeting this pathway to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy in people with cancer. While immunotherapy has dramatically changed outcomes in melanoma, lung cancer and other cancer types, the treatments work for only about 30% of people with cancer. These new findings add more knowledge to how ferroptosis works in patients with cancer, which Zou hopes will prompt further investigation. “This study raises a lot of questions for us to keep exploring, particularly around the basic biology of cell ferroptosis, including the involvement of different fatty acids and dietary lipids, the different roles immune cells play in ferroptosis, and how to target ACSL4 and ferroptosis pathways,” Zou said. “For now, there are many unknowns, but we’ll continue to work in this space.” To read the original article click here.

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Want to Build a Robust Immune System? Even 20 minutes of Exercise Can Help

AHA Publisher — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 08:00:35 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – As many people have noticed over the past year, government and public health officials talk almost exclusively about handwashing, staying home, socially distancing, wearing masks, shuttering businesses, and more recently lining up for the COVID-19 vaccine as a way to combat the pandemic. Many also noticed these officials continually moved the goal post while doing so — from “don’t wear a mask” to “80 percent Americans need to get the vaccine to fight COVID.” However you feel about these enforced measures, one thing is clear to the more health-conscious among us: the fact that officials aren’t talking about healthy lifestyle habits as a way to support a stronger immune system is an egregious oversight. Stellar among these good for you habits that people should do more of is exercise — and a study reveals it might not even take as much as you’d think. Short Bouts of Daily Exercise Can Do Wonders for Your Immune System In a paper published in the March 2017 volume of Brain, Behavior and Immunity, a team of researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine begins by acknowledging that regular exercise is known to offer anti-inflammatory effects. For their study, however, the team wanted to assess the effects of acute bouts of exercise on the immune system’s inflammatory responses. To conduct their analysis, the researchers asked 47 people to spend 20 minutes walking on a treadmill at a moderate intensity level. The researchers then took blood samples before and immediately after exercise sessions to determine if there were any changes to their immune systems after such a short amount of time. The results confirmed their hypothesis: even a relatively short bout of aerobic exercise would yield immune-supportive benefits in the body. Specifically, the short bout of exercise yielded a 5 percent decrease in the number of cells that produce immune molecules called cytokines. Cytokines, including tumor necrosis factors (TNF), are proteins that have important roles in the body, such as killing damaged or cancerous cells. While you might think that reducing the amount of cancer-fighting cells in the body only spells bad news, the truth is TNF, and other cytokines are also pro-inflammatory — and having too many of them in your system (which may be caused by things like chronic stress) can contribute to disease. Remember the phrase “cytokine storm?” This is an excessive, over-the-top inflammatory response experienced by some severely ill patients with COVID-19. This excessive immune system reaction gone haywire is exactly what we want to avoid as our bodies fight infection — and something which the UCSD researchers believe exercise can help with. They postulate that the lowered “inflammatory responses during acute exercise may protect against chronic conditions with low-grade inflammation” and further hypothesize that the exercise-induced release of catecholamine hormones like epinephrine and dopamine could drive the anti-inflammatory effect. Wait, There Is More! These Five Lifestyle Habits Also Lower Inflammation One takeaway from this research is that something is better than nothing at all when it comes to exercise. And even at just 20 minutes of moderately intense exercise per day, you’re nearly hitting the minimum recommendation of 150 minutes per week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to staying active, let’s recall the other things you can do to fight inflammation, support your immune health, and keep you safer from contagious (or chronic) disease: Maintain a normal body weight (as excess body fat is shown to promote inflammation) Eat anti-inflammatory foods, such as those featured in the Mediterranean diet Get the recommended 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night Limit your alcohol intake Manage your stress (hard but not impossible, even during a global crisis) Sources for this article include: MedicalNewsToday.com, Obesityinaction.org, ScienceDirect.com, Health.gov, NIH.gov, Hindawi.com To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

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Frankincense Fights Inflammation

AHA Publisher — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 08:00:43 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – Frankincense is a life-saving treatment that gets to the root cause of almost every chronic disease of our times – inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s attempt to heal itself. But too much causes disease. In fact, most of the chronic ailments associated with aging are essentially inflammatory diseases. That includes cancer, heart disease, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Inflammation is so closely linked to these age-related diseases that it is commonly called “inflamm-aging.” It describes what happens to all of us as we get older. Every time inflammation turns on, your genes produce molecules known as cytokines. Cytokines are used by your immune system cells to signal each other about threats. They order white blood cells to the scene. When you’re young, cytokines only increase when there’s an infection or injury. But over a lifetime, your body accumulates so many you’re almost drowning in them. These cytokines cause cellular damage which causes more inflammation. It’s a cycle that keeps repeating itself. Eventually, you start to develop unmistakable signs of aging. Those high levels of cytokines are linked to frailty and loss of muscle mass as well as Alzheimer’s disease.1 They’re also directly linked to fatal heart attacks. In one study, high concentrations of cytokines in the bloodstream were the strongest predictor of death.2 And for many years, it has been known that cancer is linked to long-term inflammation.3 For instance, inflammation has been shown to be a critical key to the development of breast cancer.4 But new research shows the boswellic acids in frankincense battles inflammation. In one study, 52 rugby players had acute inflammation. They were given either a placebo or frankincense. After four weeks those taking Boswellia had a significant reduction in inflammation.5 Boswellia works in many different ways. It contains enzymes that block PGe2. This hormone-like chemical is produced in response to an injury. It makes blood vessels dilate and expand. This causes the injured area to become swollen and painful. By attacking PGe2, frankincense stops inflammation before it starts. Boswellic acids in frankincense are also potent inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). This is an enzyme responsible for inflammation. Knocking out 5-LOX enzymes helps prevent inflammation and pain. Look for a Boswellia serrata supplement standardized to at least 65% boswellic acids. I recommend taking 400 mg three times a day. Frankincense is also available as an essential oil. You can place a drop or two under your tongue. Or dilute a drop in a glass of water or a teaspoon of honey. 2 More Ways to Fight the Fires of Inflammation Here are two more ways to target and extinguish inflammation. Fight the fire with fat. Omega-3 fatty acids are rich in two of the most powerful inflammation fighting compounds – resolvins and protectins. Groundbreaking studies show these components drastically reduce the levels of cytokines that lead to chronic inflammation and even cancer.6Other studies show people who supplement with fatty acids containing at least two grams of EPA and DHA per day produce fewer cytokines.7 I recommend you get at least 1 gram of omega-3 every day, with 600 mg from DHA and 400 mg from EPA. The best sources come from pure calamari and squid oils. Shut down your inflammation command center. Curcumin remains one of the most powerful anti-inflammatories ever discovered. It targets your body’s inflammation command center – a molecule called nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). NF-κB is the switch that activates more than 400 pro-inflammatory genes in your body. NF-κB can cause you to produce COX-2 and iNOS, two enzymes present in inflammation. So if you inhibit NF-κB, you can maintain a healthy inflammatory response. You can always cook with fresh turmeric root. Or you can supplement. But be sure your supplement contains piperine, a black pepper that increases absorbency. I recommend 1,000 mg a day. You can always supplement. Look for one made from the inner bark of the plant. Take 500 mg a day. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS 1. Michaud M. “Proinflammatory cytokines, aging, and age-related diseases.” J Am Med Dir Assoc.2013;14(12):877-882. 2. Rauchhaus M, et al. “Plasma cytokine parameters and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure.” 2Circulation. 2 2000;102(25):3060-3067. 3. Rakoff-Nahoum, S. “Why cancer and inflammation?” 2Yale J Biol Med. 2 2007;79(3-4):123-130. 4. Liu M, et al. “The canonical NF-κB pathway governs mammary tumorigenesis in transgenic mice and tumor stem cell expansion.” 2Cancer Res. 2 2010;70;10464. Epub 2009 Apr 6. 5. Franceschi F, et al. “A novel lecithin based delivery form of Boswellic acids (Casperome®) for the management of osteo-muscular pain: a registry study in young rugby players.” 2Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2 2016;20(19):4156-4161. 6. Kang JX and Weylandt KH, “Modulation of inflammatory cytokines by omega-3 fatty acids.” 2Subcell Biochem. 2 2008;49:133-143. 7. Endres S, et al. “The effect of dietary supplementation with n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the synthesis of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor by mononuclear cells.” 2N Engl J Med. 2 1989;320:265–271 To read the original article click here. For more articles from Al Sears, MD click here.

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Can Melatonin Help Prevent Severe COVID-19?

AHA Publisher — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 08:00:12 +0000

Angela Betsaida B. Laguipo, BSN via News-Medical Net – The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly spread worldwide, infecting over 64.50 million people across 191 territories. Caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the infection has already claimed more than 1.49 million lives. The coronavirus pandemic is by far the worst global health crisis in the past century. The magnitude of the disease’s spread stemmed from the number of people who traveled early in 2020 when there were still only a few cases of COVID-19. Of all the victims of the virus, older adults and those with underlying health issues are the most vulnerable and are more likely to develop severe symptoms. Currently, there is no approved drug that is safe and effective in mitigating severe or critical COVID-19. Many health experts have recommended repurposing old antivirals – like remdesivir and dexamethasone – to reduce the risk of developing severe illness. More recently, some have recommended melatonin as a potential therapeutic that can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection. A team of researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada has found that melatonin can be an adjuvant to augment the efficacy of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. They believe that the drug is a potential “silver bullet” to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Melatonin and COVID-19 In the study, which was published in the journal Diseases, the scientists discussed the potential benefit of melatonin for COVID-19 patients. They discussed evidence implying that melatonin prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection, has anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and antioxidant properties, counteracts chronodisruption, and combats many comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The SARS-CoV-2 pathogen enters the cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor in the lungs and other organs in the body. The virus’s spike glycoprotein on its surface docks onto the ACE2 dimer to infiltrate the host cell and commence viral replication. Previous studies suggest that melatonin may be an effective antiviral agent amid the coronavirus pandemic. In one study, the researchers found that a drug combination of melatonin and mercaptopurine effectively hits the HCoV-host subnetwork and was recommended as a possible drug combination for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Another possible way melatonin may regulate viral infection is related to its effective binding and inhibition of calmodulin, which regulates the surface expression and retention of ACE2 in the plasma membrane. Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties Apart from preventing infection with SARS-CoV-2, melatonin has also been noted for its anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and antioxidant properties. Melatonin applies anti-inflammatory effects through sirtuin-1, which inhibits the polarization of macrophages towards the proinflammatory type. Further, the drug decreases the proinflammatory cytokines, which have been tied to severe COVID-19 disease. The drug has antioxidant properties as it acts as a free radical searcher; it is metabolized to compounds with high antioxidant activity, and triggers the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes. Chronobiotic and Cytoprotective Agent Apart from reducing inflammation and cytokine levels, melatonin is also a chronobiotic and cytoprotective agent. A chronobiotic agent is a drug that affects the physiological regulation of the body clock, which can correct a desynchronized circadian rhythm. Regulating and maintaining a stable body clock is important to boost energy levels and the immune system. Melatonin is also a cytoprotective agent, which can help combat the common comorbidities that can heighten the risk of severe COVID-19. These include diabetes, metabolic syndrome and ischemic cardiovascular disease. Lastly, melatonin also provides neuroprotection for COVID-19 patients. Some of the common symptoms of COVID-19 patients experience include loss of smell, paralysis, stroke, cranial nerve deficits, delirium, meningitis, seizures, and encephalopathy. “Melatonin as a potential “silver bullet” in the COVID 19 pandemic, as exemplified in the brain. Melatonin has possible antiviral activity by interfering with SARS-CoV-2/angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 association,” the researchers explained. In a nutshell, melatonin is a potent drug that can be used in treating COVID-19 patients. It is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory compound that impairs the complications of COVID-19. Also, melatonin is an effective chronobiotic agent that reverses disruptions in the circadian rhythm. As a neuroprotective agent, it helps prevent the neurological effects of COVID-19, including cognitive decay and brain fog. Older people have lower levels of circulating melatonin in the body, explaining why some may be more likely to suffer from severe symptoms. Viruses can induce an increase in inflammatory cytokines, and since older adults have low levels of melatonin, they will have impaired immunity. “Therefore, the use of the very safe drug melatonin in adequate doses can prevent the development of severe disease symptoms in coronavirus patients, reduce the severity of their symptoms, and reduce the immuno-pathology of coronavirus infection on patients’ health after the active phase of the infection is over,” the researchers explained. Further, the team noted that melatonin could be used as an adjuvant for future vaccines since it helps prevents reinfection. To read the original article click here.

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