Researchers discover how tumors enlist nerves to keep growing
New research from the University of Oklahoma demonstrates how an aggressive form of breast cancer co-opts the body's own immune system to attract nerves that fuel tumor growth.
A recent University of Oklahoma study reveals how aggressive breast cancer cells enlist the body's own immune system to recruit nerves that fuel tumor growth. Traditionally, researchers understood that many solid tumors contain nerve networks, but the mechanism of how these nerves reach the tumor remained unclear. This research, published in Cell Death & Differentiation, explains that tumors attract macrophages, immune cells that usually aid in fighting infections and healing wounds.
Once inside the tumor, these macrophages release brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein typically known for nurturing nerve cells in the brain. However, cancer cells exploit this same signal to attract nerves that aid tumor growth and resistance to treatment. Dr. Maureen Cox, the study's lead researcher, explains that macrophages are the primary source for drawing nerves into the tumor, a function that typically benefits the tumor.
The study tests the potential of a drug to block BDNF signaling, which successfully prevented nerves from infiltrating the tumor in mice, significantly reducing its growth. The researchers posit that blocking these nerve signals could boost the immune response against cancer. Analyzing patient data, the team found that tumors with higher macrophage and BDNF levels were linked to poorer survival rates, indicating that these findings could also apply to human cancers.
Future research will explore how nerves contribute to tumor growth and metastasis, as well as test this intervention in high-grade ovarian cancer.
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