Longevity & AgingCancer Cells Hijack Fibroblasts by Donating Mitochondria via Protein MIRO2
Researchers at ETH Zurich discovered that cancer cells actively donate mitochondria to neighboring fibroblasts via tunneling nanotubes, a process driven by the mitochondrial trafficking protein MIRO2. This transfer reprograms normal fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which then secrete pro-tumorigenic signals and remodel the extracellular matrix to support tumor growth. Depleting MIRO2 in cancer cells blocked mitochondrial transfer, suppressed CAF differentiation, and reduced tumor growth in mouse models. MIRO2 was also found to be overexpressed at the leading edge of human epithelial skin cancers, suggesting clinical relevance. The findings reveal a novel mechanism by which tumors engineer their own supportive microenvironment and identify MIRO2 as a potential therapeutic target.
