Cancer Cells Build Nano-Highways to Hijack Mitochondria from Immune Cells
Cancer cells escape identification and neutralization by the immune system by multiple strategies. One of them is ligand-mediated deactivation of immune checkpoints, which spurred the advent of cancer immunotherapy with anti-PD1.
However, not all patients respond well to immunotherapy, suggesting other immune evasion pathways in cancers. Researchers from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital employed nanotechnology to unravel a novel mechanism of cancer cells to attack and suppress immune cells.
Co-culture of breast cancer cells with effector T cells and subsequent high-resolution imaging showed a physical linkage between cancer cells and nearby T cells with an average width of 100-1000nm. These nanotubes were composed of actin and other cytoskeletal proteins, suggesting that they may be involved in intercellular transport.
However, not all patients respond well to immunotherapy, suggesting other immune evasion pathways in cancers. Researchers from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital employed nanotechnology to unravel a novel mechanism of cancer cells to attack and suppress immune cells.
Co-culture of breast cancer cells with effector T cells and subsequent high-resolution imaging showed a physical linkage between cancer cells and nearby T cells with an average width of 100-1000nm. These nanotubes were composed of actin and other cytoskeletal proteins, suggesting that they may be involved in intercellular transport.