Pomegranates Fuel Tumor-Fighting Cells

Christmas, autumn or winter drink with oranges, apples, pomegranate seeds, rosemary Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock

Urolithin A, a metabolite of ellagitannins in pomegranates, boosts immune cells’ ability to combat tumors by inducing a process known as mitophagy.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Urolithin A (UA) has emerged as a powerhouse player in the fight against cancer, as it may naturally boost tumor-fighting immune cells
• UA is a metabolite of ellagitannins in pomegranates that has anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects
• UA “recycles and renews mitochondria” by inducing a biological pathway known as mitophagy — the process of cleaning out your mitochondria, allowing them to function at their best
• This changes T cells’ genetic program, making them more able to fight tumors
• In an upcoming clinical trial, UA will be used in people with colorectal cancer to determine its effectiveness

Globally, colorectal cancer is the third most-diagnosed cancer, with a high mortality rate in its advanced stages. One reason for its lethal effects is the ability of tissue around the tumor — or the tumor microenvironment — to suppress tumor-fighting immune cells. With the body’s immune T cells restricted, the tumor is able to grow and spread.[1]

A compound produced from substances in pomegranates, known as urolithin A, has emerged as a powerhouse player in the fight against cancer, however, as it may naturally boost tumor-fighting immune cells to help combat the disease.[2]

Pomegranate Compound Improves Immune Cells’ Cancer-Fighting

Urolithin A (UA) is a metabolite of ellagitannins in pomegranates.[3] Researchers from the Georg-Speyer-Haus in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, revealed that UA “recycles and renews mitochondria” by inducing a certain biological pathway.