2. Academic Validation
  3. Zeaxanthin augments CD8+ effector T cell function and immunotherapy efficacy

Zeaxanthin augments CD8+ effector T cell function and immunotherapy efficacy

  • Cell Rep Med. 2025 Sep 16;6(9):102324. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102324.
Freya Q Zhang 1,  Jiacheng Li 1,  Rukang Zhang 1,  Jiayi Tu 1,  Zhicheng Xie 1,  Takemasa Tsuji 2,  Hardik Shah 1,  Matthew O Ross 3,  Ruitu Lyu 3,  Junko Matsuzaki 2,  Anna Tabor 2,  Kelly Xue 1,  Fatima Choudhry 4,  Chunzhao Yin 1,  Hamed R Youshanlouei 1,  Syed Shah 1,  Michael W Drazer 1,  Yu-Ying He 1,  B Marc Bissonnette 1,  Yuancheng Li 5,  Hui Mao 5,  Jun Huang 6,  Lei Dong 7,  Rui Su 8,  Chuan He 3,  Kunle Odunsi 2,  Jing Chen 9,  Hao Fan 10
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
  • 2 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
  • 3 Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
  • 4 Health Science, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
  • 5 Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
  • 6 Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
  • 7 University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
  • 8 Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
  • 9 Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Electronic address: jingchen@uchicago.edu.
  • 10 Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Electronic address: haofan@uchicago.edu.
PMID: 40897177 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102324
Abstract

The detailed mechanisms underlying the regulatory significance of dietary components in modulating anti-tumor immunity remain largely unknown. Here, we apply a co-culture-based screening approach using a blood nutrient compound library and identify zeaxanthin (ZEA), a dietary carotenoid pigment found in many fruits and vegetables and known for its role in eye health, as an immunomodulator that enhances the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells against tumor cells. Oral supplementation with ZEA, but not its structural isomer lutein (LUT), enhances anti-tumor immunity in vivo. Integrated multi-omics mechanistic studies reveal that ZEA promotes T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation on the CD8+ T cell surface, leading to improved intracellular TCR signaling for effector T cell function. Hence, ZEA treatment augments the efficacy of anti-PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitor in vivo and the cytotoxicity of human TCR gene-engineered CD8+ T cells in vitro. Our findings uncover a previously unknown immunoregulatory function of ZEA, which has translational potential as a dietary element in bolstering immunotherapy.

Figures
Products
嗨！很高兴为您提供帮助！

尊敬的 MCE 客户您好，
请您选择所在区域，我们将转接对应客服为您服务！

热门区域

A

B

C

F

G

H

J

L

N

Q

S

T

X

Y

Z

热 A B C F G H J L N Q S T X Y Z