Are fat-soluble vitamins effective in enhancing tumoricidal cell activity?
Simin Meydani, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University The immune system, through a 2-way interaction with tumors, is an important determinant of host resistance to cancer. Tumor prognosis depends on the ability of the host s immune cells to recognize and destroy tumors or resist tumor-induced suppression of the immune response. Tumors protect themselves from detection by the immune system through low expression of tumor specific antigens, lack of costimulatory molecule expression, antigenic mutation, production of suppressive factors, and growth surrounded by physical barriers. Nutrients, in particular fat-soluble vitamins, may enhance host immune response to tumors by increasing tumor antigenicity, enhancing the effector function of innate and adaptive immunity and their interaction, and decreasing production of suppressive factors by tumors. Deficiencies in vitamins E and A are associated with diminished immune response in several compartments of t
