辣椒素在癌症中的免疫代谢与免疫调节功能：机制见解与新出现的前景

Capsaicin, a natural bioactive alkaloid derived from chili peppers, has garnered increasing interest for its broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. Beyond its well-recognized analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic regulatory properties, accumulating evidence underscores its emerging roles in tumor suppression and immune modulation. Recent studies demonstrate that capsaicin profoundly influences the function and metabolism of diverse immune cell populations-including T cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells-thereby enhancing antitumor immunity and immune surveillance.

Building upon these findings, recent studies support combinatorial strategies that integrate capsaicin with conventional anticancer therapies to improve chemosensitivity and therapeutic efficacy. This review summarizes the latest advances in understanding how capsaicin regulates immunometabolism and remodels the tumor immune microenvironment, with an emphasis on the molecular mechanisms underlying its antitumor activity and potential implications for future therapeutic development.