LOS ANGELES — Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) published a study demonstrating that creatine enhances the activation of dendritic cells and anti-tumor immune responses in mouse models and human cells. Dendritic cells are immune cells that train killer T cells to attack tumors.
The study, published in the journal iScience, found that mice with tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells expressed higher levels of the creatine transporter gene compared to mice with healthy tissue. Daily creatine injections in mouse models of melanoma reduced tumor growth and increased the quantity and activation of tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells. The experimental procedures were conducted in cell cultures and animal models, and the strategies described have not yet undergone human testing or received Food and Drug Administration approval.
Lili Yang, a professor of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics, said: "Immunotherapy has shown remarkable promise, but it only works for a subset of patients. What this study shows is that creatine doesn't just help the T cells fighting cancer - it also energizes the entire infrastructure supports and guides them. That makes creatine a promising supplement to holistically support the immune response that modern immunotherapies depend on." "Understanding how to metabolically support dendritic cells is about supporting the entire anti-tumor response, not just the killer T cells at the end of it." former undergraduate researcher Elliot Kang said.
Further laboratory testing revealed that dendritic cells engineered to lack the creatine transporter showed decreased survival and reduced activation. T cells cultured alongside creatine-deficient dendritic cells divided less frequently and produced fewer anti-cancer signaling molecules. Creatine treatment increased activation levels in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells during laboratory testing, and it improved the ability of human dendritic cells to stimulate T cells against a tumor antigen.
Laboratory metabolomics analysis showed that creatine supplementation increased intracellular ATP concentrations in dendritic cells. Graduate student researcher James Elsten-Brown said: "The potential we see here is that creatine could be used in two complementary ways: as a supplement to enhance the immune response of patients already receiving immunotherapy, and as a tool to improve the quality of dendritic cell-based vaccines before they're administered." The UCLA Technology Development Group filed a patent application covering the research methodology on behalf of the Regents of the University of California.