Is There a Preference in NAD+'s "Energy Supply"? NAD+ is a core coenzyme for cellular energy metabolism, participating in critical physiological processes including mitochondrial ATP production, DNA repair and immune regulation. Its role, however, is analogous to a "power system" — just like glucose and daily dietary intake, NAD+ provides basic energy for all cells, rather than specifically promoting the growth of cancer cells. To claim NAD+ is "oncogenic" merely because it supports cellular metabolism is as unscientific as suggesting cancer patients should abstain from normal eating. Clearly, this view lacks any scientific basis. On the contrary, numerous studies in recent years have demonstrated that elevating NAD+ levels can not only enhance immune function, but also directly or indirectly inhibit tumor development.
Activate Immune Cells to Boost Anticancer Power In August 2021, a study titled NAD+ supplement potentiates tumor-killing function by rescuing defective TUB-mediated NAMPT transcription in tumor-infiltrated T cells published in a Cell sub-journal found that NAD+ supplementation effectively activates T cells and improves the efficacy of immunotherapy. T cells are the "special forces" of the immune system, capable of accurately identifying and attacking cancer cells. When NAD+ levels are elevated, T cells are invigorated, becoming more "sharp" and "powerful" to exert their anticancer effects with greater efficiency. In the same year, Japanese scientists further confirmed the positive effects of NAD+ on immune cells in a study Nicotinamide mononucleotide augments the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells in young and elderly mice published in Biomedical Research. They found that NAD+ significantly enhances the tumor-killing ability of natural killer (NK) cells — the "first line of defense" of the immune system, which can directly kill tumor cells without prior sensitization. With the support of NAD+, the combat capacity of NK cells is greatly enhanced, enabling them to detect and eliminate cancer cells more rapidly and safeguard human health. In July 2022, a joint research by Chinese and Japanese scientists published in the renowned academic journal Hepatology — NAD + salvage governs mitochondrial metabolism, invigorating natural killer cell antitumor immunity — provided compelling evidence for the anticancer potential of NAD+. The study showed that elevating NAD+ levels effectively improves the antitumor function of NK cells, which is expected to serve as a potential enhancement strategy to boost the efficacy of NK cell-based antitumor therapy. This discovery offers new ideas and directions for cancer treatment, and lays a solid foundation for the application of NAD+ in the anticancer field. Inhibit Tumor Growth and Improve Survival Prospects In 2023, a research team from Tsinghua University published a study NAD+ supplementation limits triple-negative breast cancer metastasis via SIRT1-P66Shc signaling in the international journal Oncogene, finding that high concentrations of NAD+ can inhibit the growth of triple-negative breast cancer tumors. Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive type of breast cancer with a poor prognosis, and traditional treatments often yield unsatisfactory results. NAD+ thus brings new hope to patients with this disease. The study also indicated that NAD+ not only inhibits tumor growth, but also significantly improves survival chances after cancer onset and prevents cancer metastasis, bringing a new dawn for cancer treatment and providing strong support for the anticancer application of NAD+. Resist Immune Cell Senescence and Reduce Tumor Risk In November 2023, a study from Hokkaido University in Japan — Tumor cell-induced macrophage senescence plays a pivotal role in tumor initiation followed by stable growth in immunocompetent condition — reaffirmed the anticancer effects of NAD+. Researchers found that elevating NAD+ levels can counteract cancer cell-induced immune cell senescence, reduce tumor incidence and improve survival rates. Cellular senescence is a major risk factor for cancer development: senescence in macrophages can induce tumor progression, while elevated NAD+ levels can ameliorate the senescent state of NK cells, T cells and macrophages, rejuvenate the immune system, and thus effectively inhibit tumor initiation and development.
Cellular senescence impairs the function of immune cells, making them unable to identify and eliminate cancer cells effectively. NAD+ supplementation provides energy support for immune cells, improves their senescent state and revitalizes them. Restored and enhanced immune cell function enables more effective anticancer effects, reducing the risk of tumor development and improving patient survival rates. NAD+ is not an accomplice of cancer, but an ally of the immune system!
References Wang Y , Wang F , Wang L ,et al.NAD+ supplement potentiates tumor-killing function by rescuing defective TUB-mediated NAMPT transcription in tumor-infiltrated T cells[J].Cell Reports, 2021, 36(6):109516.DOI:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109516. Takeda K , Okumura K .Nicotinamide mononucleotide augments the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells in young and elderly mice.[J].Biomedical Research Press, 2021(5).DOI:10.2220/BIOMEDRES.42.173. Guo X, Tan S, Wang T, Sun R, Li S, Tian P, Li M, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Yan Y, Dong Z, Yan L, Yue X, Wu Z, Li C, Yamagata K, Gao L, Ma C, Li T, Liang X. NAD + salvage governs mitochondrial metabolism, invigorating natural killer cell antitumor immunity. Hepatology. 2023 Aug 1;78(2):468-485. doi: 10.1002/hep.32658. Epub 2022 Jul 30. PMID: 35815363. Wada H, Otsuka R, Germeraad WTV, Murata T, Kondo T, Seino KI. Tumor cell-induced macrophage senescence plays a pivotal role in tumor initiation followed by stable growth in immunocompetent condition. J Immunother Cancer. 2023 Nov;11(11):e006677. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-006677. PMID: 37963635; PMCID: PMC10649871.
