Biology (Jun 2024)

Immunonutrition, Metabolism, and Programmed Cell Death in Lung Cancer: Translating Bench to Bedside

  • Palma Fedele,
  • Anna Natalizia Santoro,
  • Francesca Pini,
  • Marcello Pellegrino,
  • Giuseppe Polito,
  • Maria Chiara De Luca,
  • Antonietta Pignatelli,
  • Michele Tancredi,
  • Valeria Lagattolla,
  • Alessandro Anglani,
  • Chiara Guarini,
  • Antonello Pinto,
  • Pietro Bracciale

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13060409
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 6
p. 409

Abstract

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Lung cancer presents significant therapeutic challenges, motivating the exploration of novel treatment strategies. Programmed cell death (PCD) mechanisms, encompassing apoptosis, autophagy, and programmed necrosis, are pivotal in lung cancer pathogenesis and the treatment response. Dysregulation of these pathways contributes to tumor progression and therapy resistance. Immunonutrition, employing specific nutrients to modulate immune function, and metabolic reprogramming, a hallmark of cancer cells, offer promising avenues for intervention. Nutritional interventions, such as omega-3 fatty acids, exert modulatory effects on PCD pathways in cancer cells, while targeting metabolic pathways implicated in apoptosis regulation represents a compelling therapeutic approach. Clinical evidence supports the role of immunonutritional interventions, including omega-3 fatty acids, in augmenting PCD and enhancing treatment outcomes in patients with lung cancer. Furthermore, synthetic analogs of natural compounds, such as resveratrol, demonstrate promising anticancer properties by modulating apoptotic signaling pathways. This review underscores the convergence of immunonutrition, metabolism, and PCD pathways in lung cancer biology, emphasizing the potential for therapeutic exploration in this complex disease. Further elucidation of the specific molecular mechanisms governing these interactions is imperative for translating these findings into clinical practice and improving lung cancer management.

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