Taurine & Leukemia: Risks & Growth
- Taurine,an amino acid found naturally in the body and in foods like meat and fish,plays a key role in regulating myeloid cancers,including leukemia,according to research published in Nature.
- Preclinical studies show that blocking taurine from entering leukemia cells can halt cancer growth. Researchers, led by dr.
- The team's work, mapping the bone marrow ecosystem, revealed that leukemia cells depend on this external taurine source.
Taurine’s Role in Leukemia Growth Sparks New Treatment Avenues
Taurine,an amino acid found naturally in the body and in foods like meat and fish,plays a key role in regulating myeloid cancers,including leukemia,according to research published in Nature. Scientists at the University of Rochester’s Wilmot Cancer Institute are exploring new ways to target leukemia by understanding this connection.
Preclinical studies show that blocking taurine from entering leukemia cells can halt cancer growth. Researchers, led by dr. Jeevisha Bajaj,found that normal bone marrow cells produce taurine,which leukemia cells then absorb using a specific transporter.By genetically preventing taurine uptake in mouse models and human cell samples, they successfully blocked leukemia’s progression.
The team’s work, mapping the bone marrow ecosystem, revealed that leukemia cells depend on this external taurine source. This dependence highlights a potential vulnerability for treatment.
Bajaj, an assistant professor at Wilmot’s Cancer Microenvironment research program, said targeting taurine uptake by myeloid leukemia cells could offer a novel treatment approach for these aggressive diseases.
Further inquiry showed that taurine promotes glycolysis, the process by which cancer cells break down glucose for energy, thus fueling their growth.This cancer-promoting role of taurine was previously unknown.
The study found that taurine transporter expression is crucial for the growth of various leukemia subtypes, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). These cancers originate from blood stem cells in the bone marrow. Future research will examine how the bone marrow microenvironment influences the transition of MDS to acute leukemia.
Taurine is also a common ingredient in energy drinks and protein powders, and some cancer patients have used it anecdotally. However, context is crucial, Bajaj noted.A prior study indicated that taurine supplements might benefit some gastric cancer patients by boosting their immune systems.
Dr. Jane Liesveld, a Wilmot oncologist and co-author, emphasized the need to learn more about how leukemia cells reprogram themselves to thrive and resist treatment. She cautioned that high-dose taurine supplementation might enhance leukemia growth, based on Bajaj’s findings.
Liesveld added that metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, and understanding its effects on leukemia cells is an expanding area of focus. The traditional focus has been on genetic changes, but now researchers are exploring how leukemia cells exploit metabolic pathways for survival.
The Wilmot team’s paper suggests carefully considering the benefits of supplemental taurine in leukemia patients, given its presence in energy drinks and its use to mitigate chemotherapy side effects.
Bajaj said future studies should investigate taurine levels in people with leukemia. She stressed the importance of developing effective ways to block taurine from entering leukemia cells.
What’s next
Future research will focus on developing methods to effectively block taurine uptake by leukemia cells, potentially leading to new therapeutic strategies.