Garlic Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Immunotherapy by Activating Gut Immune Cells

Jenn Hoskins
26th July, 2024

Garlic Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Immunotherapy by Activating Gut Immune Cells

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • A study from Soochow University, China, found that garlic-derived nanoparticles (GNPs) can stimulate the expansion and activation of γδ T cells in the intestine
  • These activated γδ T cells produce interferon-γ (IFNγ), which is crucial for immune responses against tumors
  • The GNP-treated mice showed increased levels of the chemokine receptor CXCR3, aiding the migration of γδ T cells from the gut to tumors
  • This migration led to a remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment, enhancing the effectiveness of anti-PD-L1 cancer therapy
Cancer immunotherapy, which leverages the body's immune system to fight cancer, has shown immense promise in recent years. One area of focus is γδ T cell-based therapies, which utilize a unique subset of T cells known for their potent anti-tumor properties. However, a significant challenge in developing these therapies is the limited ability to expand and activate γδ T cells outside the body. A recent study from Soochow University, China, offers a novel approach to overcome this hurdle by using garlic-derived nanoparticles (GNPs) to stimulate the endogenous expansion and activation of γδ T cells[1]. The study found that oral administration of GNPs significantly promoted the proliferation and activation of γδ T cells in the intestine. These activated γδ T cells produced large amounts of interferon-γ (IFNγ), a critical molecule in immune responses against tumors. Additionally, the GNP-treated mice exhibited increased levels of the chemokine receptor CXCR3 in their intestinal γδ T cells. This receptor is crucial for the migration of these cells from the gut to other parts of the body, including tumor sites. The translocation of γδ T cells and IFNγ from the intestine to subcutaneous tumors led to a remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment. This process synergized with anti-PD-L1 therapy, a type of immune checkpoint blockade, resulting in robust anti-tumor immunity. This finding is particularly significant as it provides a new method to enhance the effectiveness of existing cancer immunotherapies. This study builds on earlier findings that highlight the role of γδ T cells in cancer immunotherapy. For instance, previous research has shown that γδ T cells can contribute to the response to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with MMR-d colon cancers[2]. This earlier work identified that γδ T cells, especially the Vδ1 and Vδ3 subsets, were involved in the immune response against tumors lacking HLA-class-I, a molecule essential for presenting antigens to CD8+ T cells. The current study extends these findings by demonstrating a method to activate and expand these γδ T cells endogenously, thereby enhancing their anti-tumor activity. Further supporting the role of γδ T cells in cancer, another study found that kidney cancers are infiltrated by Vδ2- γδ T cells, which maintain cytotoxic functions and can predict responses to PD-1 blockade[3]. This aligns with the current study's observation that activated γδ T cells can synergize with anti-PD-L1 therapy, suggesting that γδ T cells can enhance the efficacy of various immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, γδ T cells have been shown to play a role in maintaining gut homeostasis and modulating psychological stress responses[4]. The current study leverages this gut-immune axis by using GNPs to activate γδ T cells in the intestine, which then migrate to tumors. This approach underscores the potential of targeting the gut-immune axis to enhance cancer immunotherapy. Moreover, the presence of distinct γδ T cell compartments in human tissues, such as the breast, has been linked to better clinical outcomes in cancer patients[5]. The current study's finding that GNPs can induce the migration of γδ T cells from the gut to tumors provides a new avenue for harnessing these tissue-resident immune cells for therapeutic purposes. In summary, the study from Soochow University offers a groundbreaking approach to γδ T cell-based cancer immunotherapy by using garlic-derived nanoparticles to stimulate the endogenous expansion and activation of these cells. This method not only enhances the anti-tumor activity of γδ T cells but also synergizes with existing immune checkpoint therapies, providing a promising new strategy for cancer treatment. These findings, supported by previous research, highlight the potential of γδ T cells in revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy.

MedicineHealthBiochem

References

Main Study

1) Oral administration of garlic-derived nanoparticles improves cancer immunotherapy by inducing intestinal IFNγ-producing γδ T cells.

Published 25th July, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-024-01722-1

Related Studies

2) γδ T cells are effectors of immunotherapy in cancers with HLA class I defects.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05593-1

3) Exhausted intratumoral Vδ2- γδ T cells in human kidney cancer retain effector function.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01448-7

4) Dectin-1 signaling on colonic γδ T cells promotes psychosocial stress responses.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01447-8

5) An innate-like Vδ1+ γδ T cell compartment in the human breast is associated with remission in triple-negative breast cancer.

https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aax9364


Related Articles

An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙