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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
06:54
Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
Published on: October 27, 2020
Fasting-Mimicking Diets Reprogram Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts to Reverse the Immunosuppressive Tumor
Junsheng Zhang1, Ning Li2, Rongrong Li1
1Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou China.
Cancer Research
|August 11, 2026
Summary
Fasting-mimicking diets (FMD) enhance anti-tumor immunity by reprogramming the tumor microenvironment. This metabolic intervention boosts immune cell infiltration and reduces immunosuppressive cells, offering potential combination strategies for breast cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Metabolic Research
Background:
- Fasting-mimicking diets (FMD) show preclinical anti-tumor effects.
- Understanding FMD's impact on the tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial for combination therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate FMD-induced TME changes in a spontaneous breast cancer mouse model using single-cell transcriptomics.
- To elucidate the mechanisms behind FMD's anti-tumor effects and identify potential therapeutic targets.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell transcriptomic sequencing of the TME in a mouse model of spontaneous breast cancer.
- Analysis of cellular and molecular changes induced by FMD intervention.
- In vivo testing of combination therapy with FMD, PDGFR inhibitors, and anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy.
Main Results:
- FMD suppressed tumor cell stemness and promoted apoptosis.
- FMD increased infiltration of NK cells and effector CD8+T cells.
- FMD reprogrammed cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) by decreasing the immunosuppressive iCAF subset via PDGFC/JAK/STAT3 pathway inhibition.
- Combination of FMD with PDGFR inhibitors enhanced anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy efficacy.
Conclusions:
- FMD induces metabolic-immune rewiring, suppressing breast cancer progression.
- FMD alters the TME by modulating immune cell infiltration and CAF phenotypes.
- Combination FMD-based strategies show promise for breast cancer treatment.
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