Tumors Steal Mitochondria from Immune Cells to Metastasize
Scientists find that tumors take mitochondria from immune cells. This act steals cellular energy sources and gives cancer cells the boost to travel and create metastases in lymph nodes. The process reveals a trick that tumors use to evade immune defenses and expand.
T Cells Deliver Their Energy Generators
The work, published in Nature Cancer, describes how tumor cells contact T lymphocytes in their nearby environment. In that encounter, cancer cells extract active mitochondria from lymphocytes through endocytosis. This depletes T cells and leaves them powerless, while tumors gain superior metabolism to resist harsh zones and move through the lymphatic system.
Key Steps in the Theft:- Tumors contact T cells in the microenvironment
- Extract mitochondria through endocytosis ⚙️
- T cells lose energy and function
- Tumors use energy to travel and metastasize
In cancer, energy is neither created nor destroyed; it is only transferred in a sinister way.
New Path for Treatments
Understanding this mitochondrial theft creates options to block it. If we stop the transfer, we deprive the tumor of a vital resource for expansion and restore strength to immune cells. Researchers are seeking molecules that control this exchange to create precise medicines.
Potential Benefits of Blocking It:- Stop metastasis in lymph nodes
- Restore T cells' power against tumors
- Improve therapies that attack cancer directly
Conclusion
This finding shows how tumors steal mitochondria to gain energy, evade immunity, and form metastases. It opens routes for therapies that cut this process and strengthen the body's defenses.