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Updated: Jun 30, 2025

Author Spotlight: Transmitochondrial Cybrid Generation Using Cancer Cell Lines
Published on: March 17, 2023
Tumour immunogenicity goes with the (mitochondrial electron) flow
Asma Ahmed1,2, Stephen W G Tait1,2
1School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK.
Abstract:
Mitochondrial metabolism and electron transport chain (ETC) function are essential for tumour proliferation and metastasis. However, the impact of ETC function on cancer immunogenicity is not well understood. In a recent study, Mangalhara et al. found that inhibition of complex II leads to enhanced tumour immunogenicity, T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity and inhibition of tumour growth. Surprisingly, this antitumour effect is mediated by succinate accumulation affecting histone methylation. Histone methylation promotes the transcriptional upregulation of major histocompatibility complex-antigen processing and presentation (MHC-APP) genes in a manner independent of interferon signalling. Modulating mitochondrial electron flow to enhance tumour immunogenicity provides an exciting new therapeutic avenue and may be particularly attractive for tumours with reduced expression of MHC-APP genes or dampened interferon signalling.
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