A study on mice reveals a new “tantifying” method for treating cancer by removing amino acids found in meat, fish and eggs from patients’ diets.
- Serine is a building block of proteins that cancer cells require in additional amounts.
- Reducing amino acid levels therefore has the potential to inhibit tumor growth
- However, many cancer cells are able to produce their own serine
- British experts propose a two-pronged approach, using a drug to stop serine production
- In a mouse model of bowel cancer, its combined diet-drug slowed tumor growth
- However, they said more research is needed before using it in human patients
A low-serine diet, an amino acid in meat, fish and eggs, which are taken along with medications to stop their production, may provide a new approach to cancer treatment.
As they grow more aggressively, cancer cells are more dependent on serine (a building block of protein) than their healthy counterparts, suggesting potential weakness.
Previous studies in mice and human cells have indicated that lowering serine levels may slow tumor growth, but many cancer cells are able to make their own.
In fact, the “KRAS mutation” that allows tumors to produce serine is found in 30% of all patients and is common in difficult-to-treat intestinal and pancreatic cancers.
However, British researchers have shown that in mice containing a graft of human gut cancer cells, tumor growth is slowed by low-serine diets and the drug PH755.
They reported that, encouragingly, PH755 induced few side effects in animals, and that the double-sided approach can work against a variety of cancers.
However, more work will need to be done on human cells and safety testing before this approach to treatment can be recommended for cancer patients.
A diet low in serine, an amino acid in meat, fish and eggs (pictured), taken in conjunction with drugs to stop its production, may provide a new approach to cancer treatment.
Before testing the dual approach in mouse models, the team had seen promising results in both cell cultures in the lab and in so-called organoids: 3D tumor models designed to mimic the complexity of real organs.
“The idea of being able to develop dietary interventions, based on an understanding of the mechanisms that explain how nutrient changes affect tumors, has the potential to unlock a powerful way to treat cancer,” said cancer biologist Karen Vousden.
“In the future, this could provide a basis for developing a precision medicine approach to diet as a cancer therapy, as we do with specific medicines,” added the UK’s chief scientist on cancer.
“Customizing each individual’s diet to target the nutritional needs of cancer could, along with other therapies, give people the best opportunity to respond to treatment.”
“While it’s encouraging to see the potential of targeting cancer’s nutritional demands to help treat the disease, it’s important to remember that this is early research in mice and cells,” the chief nurse said. of Cancer Research UK, Martin Ledwick.
“People with cancer should not change their diet in view of this,” he warned.
“We need to see if this work translates into cancer in humans before testing to see if dietary changes are helpful.”
“Understanding the fundamental biology of cancer through studies like this is vital to revealing the true complexity of the disease and can shed light on new treatment pathways,” said Michelle Mitchell, Executive Director of Cancer Research UK.
“This research has given us a tempting insight into how we can turn the dietary dependencies of cancer against and look forward to seeing if the approach works in people.”
The full findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.