Cancer ResearchBlocking USP30 Revives Exhausted Cancer-Fighting T Cells
T cells that fight cancer often become 'exhausted' — losing their ability to kill tumors. Researchers at Ohio State University discovered that a protein called USP30, which blocks a cellular cleanup process called mitophagy, becomes overactive in exhausted T cells. When they deleted USP30 genetically or blocked it with a drug, T cells regained healthier mitochondria, produced more cancer-killing molecules like IFN-γ and TNF, and significantly slowed tumor growth in mouse models. The findings identify USP30 inhibition as a promising new strategy to enhance cancer immunotherapy, potentially complementing existing checkpoint blockade therapies.
