Nutrition & DietMIT Finds Cysteine Amino Acid Triggers Gut Repair Through Immune Activation
MIT scientists have identified cysteine, an amino acid found in meat, dairy, beans, and nuts, as a powerful trigger for intestinal repair. In mouse studies, a cysteine-rich diet activated CD8 T immune cells, which then released IL-22, a signaling protein that stimulates intestinal stem cells to rebuild damaged tissue. This is the first time a single nutrient has been directly linked to intestinal stem cell regeneration. The discovery, published in Nature, could lead to dietary strategies or supplements that help cancer patients recover from radiation and chemotherapy-related gut damage. Researchers describe the approach as exploiting a natural dietary compound rather than relying on synthetic drugs.
