Background/Objectives: Microgreens are rich in nutrients and phytochemicals that can support healthy aging, including attenuation of cardiovascular disease risk. The nutrient and phytochemical contents of red beet (i.e., bull’s blood’ beet, Beta vulgaris) and red cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitate) microgreens, as well as existing preclinical evidence suggest their cardioprotective effects, but the feasibility, gastrointestinal tolerability, and human health effects of daily microgreen consumption are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and gastrointestinal tolerability of 2 weeks of daily microgreen consumption in healthy middle-aged/older (MA/O) adults. A secondary aim was to characterize potential health effects. Methods: Healthy MA/O adults (initial n = 26) were randomized to consume either 2 cups of ‘bull’s blood’ beet or red cabbage microgreens daily for 2 weeks in a crossover design, with each treatment period separated by 2 weeks. Feasibility was determined through participant retention and intervention compliance (i.e., total doses consumed divided by 14 days), while gastrointestinal tolerability was determined by a gastrointestinal health questionnaire and bowel movement log. Impacts of microgreen consumption on brachial and aortic hemodynamic parameters, and gut microbiota composition were evaluated. Results: Daily consumption for 2 weeks of ‘bull’s blood’ beet and red cabbage microgreens was found to be feasible as indicated by high participant retention (final n = 24) and overall treatment compliance of 95.6%. Gastrointestinal symptom severity was not impacted overall, though an improvement in gastrointestinal inflammation-associated symptom severity scores following the red cabbage microgreen intervention (p = 0.047) was observed. There were no changes in bowel movement quality, hemodynamic parameters, or on alpha or beta diversity of the gut microbiota. Conclusions: Daily consumption of ‘bull’s blood’ beet and red cabbage microgreens is feasible and tolerable in healthy MA/O adults. Future studies designed to evaluate their health impacts are needed.

Microalgae, a marine-derived natural ingredient, has emerged as a rich source of bioactive compounds with the potential to modulate gut–brain axis activities. The objective of this study was to investigate whether supplementation with a microalgae extract from Tetradesmus obliquus strain Mi175.B1.a (TOME) influences gut health and reduces stress and anxiety in healthy adults experiencing mild to moderate gastrointestinal (GI) distress. Methods: Fifty-six healthy adults (age: 31.9 ± 7.7 years; body weight: 71.8 ± 12.6 kg; BMI: 24.6 ± 2.8 kg/m²) were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm clinical trial. Participants were randomly allocated to receive capsules containing either 250 mg/day of TOME or a placebo for four weeks. Primary outcomes included the assessment of GI symptoms using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) and Bristol Stool Scale (BSS). Secondary outcomes focused on subjective evaluation of mood, stress, and anxiety, as well as blood pressure responses to sympathetic nervous system activation induced by the cold pressor test (CPT). In addition, stool, plasma, and saliva samples were collected to assess biomarkers associated with stress, sympathetic activation, intestinal permeability, and GI health. 16S rRNA sequencing was performed to analyze changes in gut microbial populations. Results: Daily supplementation for four weeks with TOME was safe and well tolerated in the study population. In addition, TOME significantly reduced GSRS global scores (p = 0.02), as well as constipation (p = 0.05) and indigestion (p = 0.03) subcomponent scores compared to Placebo. There was also a significant increase in Shannon’s index before FDR correction (p = 0.05; FDR = 0.12) and stool butyrate level was significantly lower in the TOME group than in Placebo after 4 weeks of supplementation (p = 0.039). Both groups showed a significant reduction in perceived stress scores, but the TOME intervention group also had reduced Negative Affect scores (p < 0.001). In addition, plasma chromogranin A, a stress biomarker, was significantly reduced after TOME intervention (p = 0.03). There were no negative effects on blood lipids or other parameters related to sympathetic activation or cardiovascular health. Conclusions: Overall, these results suggest that 4-week supplementation with T. obliquus strain Mi175.B1.a improves GI symptoms, potentially through effects on the gut microbiota, and may promote positive effects on mental health. Additional research should follow up on mental health outcomes in populations with increased stress and anxiety and investigate mechanisms underlying improvements in GI health. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT06425094.

TPS592 Background: Adoptive cellular therapies can lead to durable responses in treatment refractory leukemias and lymphomas; however, these approaches are still in early stage development for metastatic solid tumors. FH-MagIC TCR-T is an autologous CD8+ and CD4+ T cell product transduced with a transgenic T cell receptor (TCR) targeting MAGE-A1. MAGE-A proteins are classified within the “testis restricted” cancer testis antigens and are broadly expressed in a wide range of malignancies, including urothelial carcinomas, triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Importantly, MAGE-A1 is undetectable in most normal tissues exclusive of the immune privileged testes, thereby making MAGE-A1 an ideal target for T cell immunotherapy approaches. Of note, FH-MagIC TCR-T is specific to the Class I HLA A*02:01-restricted MAGE-A1 epitope. Based on preclinical studies testing FH-MagIC-T in MAGE-A1 expressing tumor models, we have launched a Phase I/II study evaluating this autologous transgenic TCR therapy. Methods: This is a Phase I/II study testing FH-MagIC TCR-T cells in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma, TNBC or NSCLC. Eligible patients must have HLA type HLA-A*02:01 and demonstrate expression of MAGE-A1 on archival tumor tissue (≥1+ by immunohistochemistry). Patients must have been offered or received: i) anti-PD(L)1 therapy; ii) enfortumab vedotin (urothelial carcinoma patients); and iii) FDA-approved targeted therapies (e.g. NSCLC patients with actionable mutations in EGFR, ROS1, etc.). For each dose level (DL) in the Phase 1 portion, 1 patient will be treated without lymphodepletion (LD). If no dose limiting toxicities (DLT) are observed, the next 3 patients will receive LD with cyclophosphamide 300mg/m² and fludarabine 30mg/m² IV days -4 to -2 before T cell infusion. The first 4 patients will be treated at DL1: 1 x 10⁹ cells. If no DLTs are observed, the next 4 patients will be treated at DL2: 5 x 10⁹ cells. Otherwise, if a DLT is observed at DL1, the next 4 patients will be treated at DL-1: 5 x 10⁸ cells. The Phase 2 portion of the trial will test FH-MagIC-TCR T cell product at the RP2D with the addition of standard of care anti-PD(L)1 therapy. Primary objectives are to assess safety (Phase 1) and radiographic response rate (Phase 2) per RECIST v1.1. Secondary objectives will evaluate progression free survival, overall survival, persistence of transgenic T cells in peripheral blood and migration into tumor tissue. For the Phase 2 portion, we assume a 5% null response rate (H0). If the true response rate with TCR-transduced cells is 25% (H1), 15 patients will yield 84% power at a one-sided alpha =.05. Clinical trial information: NCT04639245.

This paper offers an exciting finding, indicating that lipid droplets enable host cells to mount an innate immune response as an anti-microbial mechanism.