Posted on 01/08/2026 7:52:19 PM PST by ConservativeMind
A novel tumor suppressor, BATF2, can be silenced by factors in the tumor microenvironment, leading to a reduced immune response in five preclinical models of head and neck cancer, according to researchers.
The results demonstrate that glutamine in the tumor microenvironment can cause epigenetic silencing of BATF2, which affects the STING signaling pathway and overall immune response.
Lei said, "This study characterizes a novel oral cancer tumor suppressor that drives immune surveillance but is inhibited by high levels of glutamine."
BATF2 is a tumor suppressor involved in regulating immune responses, helping to maintain anti-tumor immune surveillance. BATF2 is highly expressed by epithelial cells and myeloid cells, and it can directly activate the STING pathway—which plays a key role in innate immunity by triggering Type-I interferon (IFN-I) production to drive T cell-mediated protection against tumors.
In this study, researchers found that BATF2 levels correlate strongly with IFN-I and Th1 immune signatures in patient tumors, meaning that high levels of BATF2 help recruit immune cells to attack tumors.
Many cancers are resistant to treatments that trigger the STING pathway. More recently, studies have shown that epigenetic changes—which turn genes on and off without changing the actual DNA sequence—can occur from metabolic cues in the tumor microenvironment.
In particular, BATF2 and IFN-I genes are inversely correlated with genes involved in the metabolism of glutamine—an amino acid that cells use for growth—suggesting a possible connection.
The study showed that a glutamine-rich diet silences the BATF2 gene, leading to a weakened immune response, lower levels of IFN-I production and higher oxygen consumption, allowing cancer cells to grow and avoid immune detection. Using drugs that inhibit glutamine metabolism significantly restored IFN-I production and sensitized cancer cells to drugs that target the STING pathway, improving the overall antitumor response.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I wonder if taking glutamine in significant doses when “healthy” can trigger single cells or normally benign cells to mutate or divide, getting a process started
Berberine is a natural substance that alters glutamine metabolism. The synthetic drugs they use for that tend to be toxic.
L8tr bump to health!
People we told to take glutamine for years to support a weight lifting regimen at the gym. But the dark side is a big one. You’re better off with BCAAs instead, after your workout.
My son has recovered from a rare neck cancer, so I decided to see what AI recommends for diet. Below is high glutamine diet info. My son was doing and now is doing heavy physical labor again, so I will send him this warning. He may need to be modifying his current diet.
AI Info on Glutamine rich foods:
“==A glutamine-rich diet focuses on protein-heavy foods, especially animal products like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and yogurt, as well as plant-based sources like tofu, nuts, legumes (beans, lentils), cabbage, and whole grains, to supply this crucial amino acid, vital for muscle repair, immune function, and gut health, particularly during stress or illness.
Key Food Groups & Examples:
—Animal Proteins (Highest Sources): Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish (salmon, tuna), seafood, eggs, and dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt).
—Plant-Based Proteins: Tofu, soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds.
—Vegetables: Red cabbage (very high in plants), corn, spinach, potatoes, asparagus, parsley.
—Grains: Oats, rice, wheat.
Why Focus on Glutamine?
—Muscle Recovery: Supports tissue repair and growth, making it great post-exercise.
—Immune Support: Fuels immune cells, especially important when sick.
—Gut Health: Provides energy for intestinal cells.
How to Eat a Glutamine-Rich Diet
—Prioritize Protein: Since glutamine is part of protein, increasing overall protein intake from these sources naturally boosts glutamine.
—Combine Sources: Pair lean meats with vegetables like cabbage or spinach, or have eggs with whole-grain toast and yogurt.
—Consider During Stress: If recovering from illness or injury, ensuring regular intake from these foods or considering supplements may be helpful, as the body’s demand increases. A glutamine-rich diet focuses on protein-heavy foods, especially animal products like beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and yogurt, as well as plant-based sources like tofu, nuts, legumes (beans, lentils), cabbage, and whole grains, to supply this crucial amino acid, vital for muscle repair, immune function, and gut health, particularly during stress or illness.
Key Food Groups & Examples:
—Animal Proteins (Highest Sources): Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish (salmon, tuna), seafood, eggs, and dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt).
—Plant-Based Proteins: Tofu, soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds.
—Vegetables: Red cabbage (very high in plants), corn, spinach, potatoes, asparagus, parsley.
—Grains: Oats, rice, wheat.
Why Focus on Glutamine?:
—Muscle Recovery: Supports tissue repair and growth, making it great post-exercise.
—Immune Support: Fuels immune cells, especially important when sick.
—Gut Health: Provides energy for intestinal cells.
How to Eat a Glutamine-Rich Diet
—Prioritize Protein: Since glutamine is part of protein, increasing overall protein intake from these sources naturally boosts glutamine.
—Combine Sources: Pair lean meats with vegetables like cabbage or spinach, or have eggs with whole-grain toast and yogurt.
—Consider During Stress: If recovering from illness or injury, ensuring regular intake from these foods or considering supplements may be helpful, as the body’s demand increases.”
I was also researching cancer info as my brother and best friend were fighting metastatic liver and prostate cancer. Chemo for liver, and radiation and anti-testosterone for prostate. They were already taking daily vitamins and I had them add Quercetin and zinc to aid cancer fighting zinc get into virus infected cells, and astaxanthin when I found a study saying it causes cancer cells to die younger (apoptosis), and healthy cells to live longer. My friend’s PSA test is now completely normal, and my brother was improving with his doctors planning to remove some of the cancerous tissue from the liver. Then he took his 4th Covid shot and rapidly got much worse. I had been taking astaxanthin and several other supplements to help my cataracts which are much improved. Perhaps the astaxanthin helps the cells of the lense live longer?
It is disturbing to see my diet is full of foods on this list which are considered part of a healthy diet. I guess the answer is to eat less of the very high protein flesh based foods and focus more on the vegetables, fruits and grains. It is suggested a playing card pack is about the right size for a serving of pure meat—beef, pork, fish or fowl. One piece of advice I encountered said avoid whole grain breads and brown rice because of their high lectin content. Sourdough bread was suggested as an improvement. Another diet tidbit I also saw was that the butyric acid in butter is important to support colon bacteria that signal the brain more eating is NOT needed. Good news for dieters.
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