Can Niacinamide transform natural killer cells into a cancer therapy? Scientists think the answer is yes
Cancer patients appeared to benefit from natural killer cells obtained from donors in an experimental method of treating cancer that involved an aggressive army of immune system fighters endowed with the ability to home in on malignant cells and destroy them. The natural killer cells were pre-treated with nicotinamide, a compound widely known to most people as niacin, or vitamin B 3 . It's a substance with a special affinity for natural killer cells, enhancing their capacity to annihilate cancers. Once primed in the laboratory, these natural killers are ready to be unleashed against formidable targets. The evolving methodology has shown promise in a preliminary study aimed at forcing hard-to-treat cancers of the blood into remission. Prior to the new research, which is published in Science Translational Medicine , attempts by other teams to use natural killer cell infusions as a therapeutic for leukemias, lymphomas and other blood malignancies, weren't always effective...