Immune Immune 95: Mitochondria for everyone
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Aug 26, 2025 Cancer cells are hijacking mitochondria from nerve and T cells, boosting their growth while weakening immune responses. The podcast dives into how this mitochondrial manipulation informs cancer treatment strategies, revealing a complex dance between immune evasion and T cell dynamics. Additionally, there's exploration of mitochondrial transfer's evolutionary roots, plus insights into the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitors in managing cancer and autoimmune conditions. Listeners will find both scientific advancement and community engagement at the heart of this discussion.
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Cancer Cells Steal Mitochondria To Fuel Growth
- Cancer cells form tunneling nanotubes to acquire mitochondria from neurons and other neighboring cells.
- This mitochondrial transfer boosts cancer energetic capacity and supports metastasis.
Host's Rabbit Hole Into Mitochondrial Transfer
- Cindy called the discovery of mitochondrial transfer between nerves and cancer "the coolest thing" and dove down the literature rabbit hole.
- Her curiosity led to finding multiple studies showing transfer with immune cells too.
Tumors Rewire T-Cell Metabolism Via Mitochondria
- Tumors can hijack mitochondria from T cells via nanotubes, impairing T-cell metabolism.
- Donated dysfunctional tumor mitochondria make T cells exhausted and less cytotoxic.