Yeast supplement boosts cancer-fighting immunity in obese mice, Trinity study finds
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Researchers at Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin found that a yeast beta-glucan dietary supplement strengthened cancer-fighting immune cells in obese mice. The supplement reprogrammed bone marrow stem cells, restoring anti-tumor immunity that persisted even after weight loss. The findings were published in Cell Reports.
Key Facts
- The study was published in Cell Reports and led by Frederick Sheedy of Trinity College Dublin and Helen Roche of University College Dublin.
- Mice were fed a standard or high-fat diet supplemented with yeast beta-glucan for 4–12 weeks, then challenged with colorectal, skin, and breast cancer cells.
- Dietary yeast beta-glucan reprogrammed bone marrow stem cells to induce trained immunity, an effect previously achieved only by injection.
- The supplement restored anti-tumor innate immunity in obese mice and reversed long-term immune memory defects that persisted after weight loss.
Study Design
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin investigated whether yeast beta-glucan, a common dietary supplement, could reprogram early-stage immune cells in the bone marrow. Mice were fed a standard or high-fat diet supplemented with yeast beta-glucan for 4–12 weeks, then their immune systems were challenged with colorectal, skin, and breast cancer cells. The study also tested whether yeast supplementation could overcome immune dysfunction caused by obesity and whether protective effects persist after weight loss.
Mechanism and Findings
The findings show for the first time that consuming yeast beta-glucan in the diet is enough to trigger trained immunity by altering bone marrow stem cells. Earlier studies achieved similar effects using injections, according to Professor Helen Roche of University College Dublin. The dietary intervention restored anti-tumor innate immunity in obese mice and reversed long-term immune memory defects that persist even after weight loss.
Obesity and Immune Dysfunction
Obesity affects millions of people worldwide and can significantly disrupt immune function, increasing susceptibility to both infections and cancer. These immune changes can continue even after a person loses weight, a major unmet clinical challenge noted by the researchers.
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Yeast supplement boosts cancer-fighting immunity in obese mice, Trinity study finds
