In recent years, the integration of herbal compounds into modern medical treatments has drawn increasing attention from the global scientific community. A compelling example of this trend is the immunomodulatory role of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, in the context of advanced cancer therapies.
A new study by TrimLab@PSU, in collaboration with researchers from Peking University, China and the University of Southern California, USA, explores curcumin's potential to enhance Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, a groundbreaking treatment for blood cancers. TrimLab@PSU congratulates the contributors —Praopim Limsakul, Pemikar Srifa, and Krit Charupanit (Prince of Songkla University, Thailand) Ziliang Huang, and Linshan Zhu (University of Southern California, USA), Yiqian Wu (Peking University, China)—for their dedication and interdisciplinary collaboration, which made this research possible.
CAR T-cell therapy has shown remarkable success in eliminating malignant cells, particularly in hematologic malignancies. However, its clinical use is often challenged by cytokine release syndrome (CRS)—a dangerous inflammatory condition triggered by excessive cytokine production. Although current treatments can help manage CRS, there remains a need for adjunctive strategies that can boost therapeutic outcomes while minimizing adverse effects. The findings reveal that curcumin not only enhances the cytotoxicity of CAR T-cells against leukemia cells (Nalm-6) but also reduces the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-2 and IFN-γ. Using network pharmacology and molecular docking, the research team showed that curcumin targets key signaling pathways involved in T-cell function and immune regulation. (More details)
These promising results suggest that curcumin could serve as a natural, safe, and effective adjunct to improve CAR T-cell therapy outcomes. This study highlights the powerful intersection of traditional herbal medicine and cutting-edge immunotherapy, reinforcing the relevance of natural compounds in the era of precision medicine.