Neurons feed tumors

Subjects

Nerves appear to promote the aggressiveness of nearby cancers, but the mechanisms underlying this effect are poorly understood. A study by Hoover and colleagues in Nature reveals that breast cancer cells metabolically rely on neurons. In the presence of cancer cells, neurons undergo metabolic reprogramming. This results in an increase in mitochondrial mass, which is then transferred to adjacent cancer cells, as shown in co-culture and denervation models. The authors developed MitoTRACER, a genetic reporter that tracks the transfer and uptake of mitochondria by cancer cells. Using this tool, they demonstrated that neuron-derived mitochondria boost cancer metabolism, stemness, and resistance to metastatic stress, ultimately promoting metastasis. Fate-mapping showed that mitochondria-recipient cancer cells or their progeny are enriched at metastatic sites. These findings identify neuronal mitochondria as boosters of cancer, highlighting neuron-driven metabolism as a key driver of progression and a potential therapeutic target to prevent metastasis.

Original reference: Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09176-8 (2025)

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