Are There Any Mechanisms by Which Ketone Bodies Exert Anticancer Effects?
Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the anticancer effects of ketone bodies: 1. Metabolic Stress: By reducing glucose availability and promoting ketone body utilization, cancer cells experience metabolic stress, which can hinder their growth and survival. 2. Oxidative Stress: Ketone bodies may increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells, leading to oxidative damage and cell death. 3. Epigenetic Modulation: β-hydroxybutyrate, a prominent ketone body, acts as an inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDACs), enzymes involved in gene expression regulation. HDAC inhibition can result in the reactivation of tumor suppressor genes and suppression of oncogenes.
