Overview

• University of Chicago researchers report that zeaxanthin stabilizes T‑cell receptor complexes on CD8+ T cells, amplifying intracellular signaling, activation, cytokine release, and cytotoxicity.
• In mouse models, dietary zeaxanthin slowed tumor growth, and pairing it with immune checkpoint inhibitors produced stronger anti-tumor responses than immunotherapy alone.
• Engineered human T cells treated with zeaxanthin showed improved killing of melanoma, multiple myeloma, and glioblastoma cells in laboratory tests.
• The authors stress that findings are early and primarily from animal and in vitro studies, so clinical trials are needed before recommending zeaxanthin to cancer patients.
• The work, published September 1 in Cell Reports Medicine after a nutrient-library screen by Jing Chen’s team, identifies a widely available supplement with a known safety profile for formal testing.