In a major breakthrough, scientists have found that inhaling supplemental oxygen could boost the growth of tumour-fighting cells, thereby improving cancer treatment.
Researchers claim that inhaling 40 to 60 percent oxygen as opposed to the 21 per cent oxygen present in air weakens immuno suppression and results in awakening of anti-tumour cells. This, in turn, could improve cancer immunotherapy and shrink tumors by unleashing anti-tumour T lymphocytes and natural killer cells.
“I was looking to solve the problem of existence of tumors and anti-tumor killer cells in the same patient,” said Michail Sitkovsky of Northeastern University in Boston, who led the study.
“Since the root of all problems is the lack of oxygen in tumors, a simple solution is to give tumors more oxygen.”
The discovery was made during experiments performed on mouse models of lung and breast cancers. It was found that mice kept in environments with 60 percent oxygen concentration had a much slower rate of cancer growth compared to mice in regular 21 percent oxygen settings.
“Breathing supplemental oxygen opens up the gates of the tumour fortress and wakes up ‘sleepy’ anti-tumour cells, enabling these soldiers to enter the fortress and destroy it,” said Sitkovsky.
“However, if anti-tumour immune cells are not present, oxygen will have no impact.”
Sitkovsky found that a receptor on the surface of immune cells — the A2A adenosine receptor — is responsible for preventing T cells from invading tumors and supplemental oxygen weakened tumour-protecting signalling through the A2A adenosine receptor and wakes up the T cells.
He noted that the effects of supplemental oxygenation might be even stronger in combination with a synthetic agent that he calls “super-caffeine.”
“The anti-tumour effects of supplemental oxygen can be further improved by the natural antagonist of the A2A adenosine receptor, which happens to be the caffeine in your coffee,” Sitkovsky said.
“This is exciting work,” said Susanna Greer, director of clinical research and immunology for the American Cancer Society.
“This is the kind of data that definitely makes you catch your breath a little bit.”
The findings were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
