00:00Cancer can be deadly, and a big part of its lethality has to do with how it can wreak havoc
00:04on your immune system.
00:05Meaning when you're already sick with cancer, you may also get sick from other pathogens much more easily,
00:10and have more trouble getting well after.
00:12But now, according to researchers from University College Dublin,
00:15a popular drug used to treat obesity might hold the key to preventing immune system damage related to cancer.
00:21Science Alert reports the drug is called semaglutide, and it's often used to treat type 2 diabetes.
00:27Weight loss was only ever a side effect of the drug,
00:29but its primary objective was blood sugar control.
00:32However, in a recent clinical trial, they also found another side effect.
00:36It restores the function of natural killer cells, immune cells that help fight cancer and other illnesses.
00:41This is particularly good news for those who suffer from obesity,
00:44as they are not only more prone to have type 2 diabetes, but they are also more prone to cancer
00:49and other illnesses.
00:50And experts say it might have something to do with metabolism being linked to immune function,
00:54with researchers writing in their paper,
00:56Cellular metabolism is a critical requirement for natural killer cell functionality,
01:01and it can dictate the magnitude of responses.
01:04On activation, natural killer cells are shaped and instructed by intrinsic metabolic processes and nutrient availability,
01:11with the researchers noting that only around half of the participants in the study lost weight.
01:15Yet the immune function was still boosted, meaning the drug worked, even without shedding pounds.
01:19Yes.
01:21Thanks for listening.
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