In a unique study, fucoidan, from seaweed appears to have a synergystic effect with a well know pancreatic cancer chemotherapy treatment, Oxaliplatin.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant tumor that causes approximately 50,000 deaths annually. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays of cancer treatment. Among them, chemotherapy remains the basis of cancer treatment. However, the immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment and the dense interstitial environment often result in the inability of chemotherapeutic agents to effectively enter the tumor site, thus limiting the efficiency of chemotherapy. In this study, there was a proposal to use fucoidan, from seaweed to complement the traditional chemotherapeutic and it has presented amazing results!
"Macrophages play a key role in the tumor immunomodulation. In this study, we found that low molecular weight of fucoidan (LF2) directly regulated the differentiation of mononuclear macrophages into the CD86+ M1 phenotype. LF2 significantly upregulated the expressions of M1 macrophage-specific cytokines, including iNOS, IL-6, TNFα and IL-12. LF2 modulated macrophage phenotypic transformation through activation of TLR4-NFκB pathway. Furthermore, we observed that LF2 enhanced the pro-apoptotic activity of oxaliplatin (OXA) in vitro by converting macrophages to a tumoricidal M1 phenotype. Meanwhile, LF2 increased intratumoral M1 macrophage infiltration and ameliorated the immunosuppressed tumor microenvironment, which in turn enhanced the anti-pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) activity of OXA in vivo. Taken together, our results suggested that LF2 could act as a TLR4 agonist targeting macrophages and has a synergistic effect against PDAC when combined with OXA."
Wow, yet again another example of where fucoidan complements synergystically to a known chemotherapeutic! More research is needed, but a great step in the right direction. PDF of study is below for further detailed reading!
Cheers to your health,
~ Infinitum Health Team
Reference
Zhenzhen Deng, et. al. "Low molecular weight fucoidan LF2 improves the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhances the anti-pancreatic cancer activity of oxaliplatin." Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Volume 173, 2024, 116360