A dangerous meal
By developing Effero-seq, Dr. Merav Cohen and the students Roi Balaban and Ori Moskowitz revealed for the first time that the eating of dead cancer cells by macrophages reprograms their pro-tumor function
To investigate this phenomenon, the researchers developed Effero-seq, a novel method that enables the tracking of molecular changes occurring in macrophages after they engulf dead cells. Using this approach, they found that within the tumor microenvironment, the engulfment of dead cancer cells drives macrophages to acquire characteristics that support tumor growth.
The findings showed that these macrophages promote the formation of new blood vessels within tumors, become less responsive to anti-tumor immune signals, and are associated with poorer prognosis in melanoma patients.
The researchers also discovered that this reprogramming is not temporary. Instead, the altered state of the macrophages persists over time, suggesting that efferocytosis induces long-lasting reprogramming of macrophage function.
The study provides new insights into how tumors reshape immune cell behavior and highlights macrophages and efferocytosis as potential targets for future cancer therapies.
Read the full study:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.aed1544
Related Articles
