Scientists uncover the hidden nerve network fueling breast cancer
Researchers have uncovered a surprising way triple-negative breast cancer may turn the body against itself. Tumors appear to recruit macrophages—immune cells normally involved in healing and fighting infection—and use them to release a protein called BDNF that draws nerves into the tumor. Those nerves may then help the cancer grow, resist treatment, and potentially spread.
Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have uncovered how aggressive triple-negative breast cancer manipulates the immune system to invite nerves into tumors. While the connection between nerve networks and solid tumors has been known, the mechanism by which nerves enter tumors has remained unclear. The study, published in Cell Death & Differentiation, explains this process in detail.
The research found that tumors attract macrophages, immune cells that usually aid in fighting infections and repairing damaged tissue. Once inside the tumor, these macrophages release brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that triggers nearby nerves to grow towards and into the cancer. Although BDNF is known for supporting nerve cell growth in the brain, it appears to be exploited by breast tumors for their own benefit.
The presence of macrophages and BDNF in tumors is associated with worse outcomes for triple-negative breast cancer patients, suggesting that this mechanism may also apply to human patients. The findings could potentially lead to new cancer treatments that target the nerve signals supporting tumor growth. By blocking BDNF signaling, researchers were able to prevent nerves from growing into tumors in mice, significantly reducing tumor growth.
The study emphasizes the potential of this intervention as a complementary approach to existing cancer therapies, which primarily focus on destroying cancer cells. By interrupting the communication between macrophages and nerves, the immune system may be bolstered to better combat the cancer. The researchers plan to further investigate how nerves contribute to tumor growth and progression, including potential roles in blood vessel formation and metastasis.
The research was supported by the NIH, Oklahoma's Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, and the National Cancer Institute.
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