THIS common ingredient found in foods and supplements is linked to Blood Cancer
A concerning study reveals that taurine, a common amino acid found in food and supplements, may fuel the growth of leukemia cells. Researchers at the University of Rochester's Wilmot Cancer Institute discovered that leukemia cells readily absorb taurine, promoting glycolysis and cancer progression.
Global cancer cases are predicted to rise by 35 million in 2050, which is a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Amid this alarming projection, new research has revealed an unsuspected driver behind one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. The study found that an amino acid, found commonly in the food we eat, and supplements we take, could cause
leukemia
, one of the most aggressive forms of
blood cancer
.
A recent
study
by researchers at the University of Rochester's Wilmot Cancer Institute has found that taurine, which is made naturally in the body and consumed through some foods, is a key regulator of myeloid cancers such as leukemia.
The study is published in the journal Nature. In the preclinical research, the scientists were able to block the growth of leukemia in mouse models and in human leukemia cell samples by using genetic tools to prevent taurine from entering cancer cells.
'We are very excited about these studies because they demonstrate that targeting uptake by myeloid leukemia cells may be a possible new avenue for treatment of these aggressive diseases,' Jeevisha Bajaj, PhD, lead researcher and an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Genetics and a member of Wilmot's Cancer Microenvironment research program said in a statement.
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They also found that leukemia cells drink up taurine, which promotes glycolysis (a breakdown of glucose to produce energy) to feed cancer growth. Previous researchers have never looked at the cancer-promoting role of taurine. Leukemia has several subtypes, and the survival rates vary. This study found that taurine transporter expression is essential for the growth of multiple subtypes, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), which all originate from blood stem cells in the bone marrow.
Taurine is a non-essential amino acid found naturally in the bone marrow and also in the brain, heart, and muscles. Foods such as meats, fish, and eggs also contain taurine. It is also a key ingredient in some energy drinks and protein powders, and has been used by cancer patients anecdotally.
'Dr. Bajaj's work shows that local levels of taurine in bone marrow may enhance leukemia growth, suggesting caution in use of high-dose taurine supplementation,' Jane Liesveld, MD, a Wilmot oncologist who treats leukemia patients, said.
She also noted that scientists still have a lot to learn about how leukemia cells are reprogrammed and draw energy to thrive and resist treatments.
'Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, and we are at the very beginning of understanding metabolic effects on leukemia cells. The prior focus has been on genetic changes, but the focus is expanding to understanding how leukemia cells are able to hijack various metabolic pathways for their own survival,' she added.
In conclusion, the Wilmot team states in its Nature paper: 'Since taurine is a common ingredient in energy drinks and is often provided as a supplement to mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy, our work suggests that it may be of interest to carefully consider the benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients.'
The researcher noted that future studies are required to investigate levels of taurine in people with leukemia. 'Our current data suggest that it would be helpful to develop stable and effective ways to block taurine from entering leukemia cells,' she said.
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