Yet another study demonstrating that metabolism controls an aspect of physiology so far considered largely independent of environmental influences. Namely, the study demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) damages the telomeres of the so-called T-cells and that leads to impaired recognition by the organism of “cancer” cells. Increased acidity (e.g. lactate, already implicated as oncotarget) also contribute to ROS and T-cell damage. That impaired T-cell activity is what apparently is responsible to a large degree for the growth of both the primary tumor and the formation of metastases in later stages of the cancer. It just so happens that under normal conditions (i.e. without the presence of metabolic toxins) more than 95% of ROS are produced in the mitochondria under the so-called “reverse electron flow” (REF). Such REF occurs almost exclusively due to the excessive oxidation of fat, but not glucose. Thus, oxidizing primarily fat for fuel directly results in compromised immune function, which has implications not only for cancer, but for a host other diseases, including respiratory conditions such as the flu, COVID-19, bacterial infections. I mentioned the word “toxin” above and it was not by accident. In addition to excessive fat oxidation, the other known major source of ROS is as a result of cancer “treatment”. All three major types of it – surgery, ionizing radiation, chemotherapy – are actually employed primarily for this reason. Namely, they all (and especially radiation and chemo) generate massive amounts of ROS with the goal of killing the “cancer”. As we well know by now, this approach is very rarely curative and this study shows that it may actually spectacularly backfire since it leaves the patient in a compromised immune state, which allows the cancer to return and with the immune system suppressed the returning cancer is also much more aggressive than the original one. In other words, it is not that the returning cancer is somehow “angry” and deliberately acting aggressively to hurt the patient, but rather the strong suppression of the immune system due to the ROS generated by the cancer “treatments” allows the tumor to grow unopposed, which to doctors looks like a much more aggressive type of tumor. The study also demonstrated that administering anti-oxidants largely prevented (and reversed) the immunosuppressive effects of ROS, which suggests that something as simple as vitamin E or one of the quinone-like molecules would be able to greatly reduce the growth rate of already existing tumors, as well as the aggressiveness of returning tumor after cancer “treatments”. Other remedies such as niacinamide and aspirin, both of which limit the excessive fat oxidation, should also be beneficial and would probably synergize with the (structural) antioxidants.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2025.08.008
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-find-a-way-to-bulletproof-t-cells-against-cancer/
“…Tumor environments place heavy stress on immune cells that fight cancer. Limited oxygen, elevated acidity, and other harsh conditions overload mitochondria, the cell’s energy producers, which contributes to T cell fatigue and worsens cancer outcomes. A new study in Immunity, led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, showed in mice that these conditions prompt mitochondria to release reactive oxygen species (ROS). These molecules travel to the nucleus and damage telomeres, ultimately pushing T cells into a dysfunctional state. “The really exciting part about this research is that by preventing damage to telomeres via a targeted antioxidant, we can rescue T cell function,” said lead author Dayana Rivadeneira, assistant professor in the Pitt Department of Immunology and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. “This opens the door to novel therapies to improve the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies.”
