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Local researchers discover a connection between gut health and blood cancer

Published May 27, 2025 at 1:03 PM EDT
The image on the left shows tiny signaling structures called TIFAsomes (red) being formed in blood cells when cultured with the plasma of an aged healthy 73-year-old individual, but not when cultured with the plasma of a young healthy 31-year-old individual. A new study in Nature led by cancer experts at Cincinnati Children’s reports that these aging-related TIFAsomes can be activated by a bacterial byproduct that can escape from the gut into the bloodstream and fuel the expansion of pre-leukemic cells. Now the research team is working to develop a compound that may disrupt this process before full-blown leukemia develops.
Source: Cincinnati Children’s
The image on the left shows tiny signaling structures called TIFAsomes (red) being formed in blood cells when cultured with the plasma of an aged healthy 73-year-old individual, but not when cultured with the plasma of a young healthy 31-year-old individual. A new study in Nature led by cancer experts at Cincinnati Children’s reports that these aging-related TIFAsomes can be activated by a bacterial byproduct that can escape from the gut into the bloodstream and fuel the expansion of pre-leukemic cells. Now the research team is working to develop a compound that may disrupt this process before full-blown leukemia develops.

Scientists at Cincinnati Children’s have discovered a new connection between gut health and the risk of developing blood cancer.

They say their findings – published in the journal Nature – could change how we think about aging and the early stages of leukemia.

On Cincinnati Edition, we talk with one of the lead researchers about this discovery and its implications for millions of people.

Guest:

· Daniel Starczynowski, PhD, director, Cincinnati Children’s Advanced Leukemia Therapies and Research Center

Cincinnati Children’s is a financial supporter of Cincinnati Public Radio.

Select music from Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). This discussion was pre-recorded.

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· Listen on-demand. Audio for this segment will be uploaded to this page by 4 p.m. ET., or subscribe to our podcast.

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