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Common plant compound builds tougher cancer-fighting attack cells | Researchers discovered in mice that zeaxanthin – a carotenoid that promotes eye health – boosts the activity of the immune system's CD8+ T cells, kill cancerous tumor cells.
A carotenoid that's already widely available in fruit and vegetables, and as a supplement, has been found to bolster the cancer-fighting abilities of immune cells, making it a promising new candidate that could help shrink tumors during immunotherapy treatment.
“We were surprised to find that zeaxanthin, already known for its role in eye health, has a completely new function in boosting anti-tumor immunity,” said senior author Jing Chen, Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago. While clinical trials will be required to see if the positive results from the lab and mice studies can be replicated in cancer patients, zeaxanthin is a promising new avenue of research aimed at making immunotherapy more successful. After more than 20 years as a writer and editor, the former music journalist went back to university to build on her passion for wildlife and conservation with a Bachelor of Zoology, which unlocked two new loves: sharing animal facts at any opportunity and getting others excited about science.
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