Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have uncovered a surprising mechanism by which triple-negative breast cancer draws nerve cells into tumors, potentially aiding cancer growth and treatment resistance.
- Macrophages in tumors trigger nerve growth via BDNF protein
- Nerves inside tumors may boost cancer progression and therapy resistance
- New drugs blocking BDNF show potential to reduce tumor growth
What happened
Scientists discovered that triple-negative breast cancer tumors attract immune cells called macrophages. Normally involved in fighting infection and healing, these macrophages release brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which encourages nerves to grow into the tumor itself. This nerve infiltration was previously observed but how nerves entered the tumor remained unclear until now.
In tests using mice, researchers found that drugs blocking BDNF signaling prevented nerve growth in tumors and led to slower cancer progression. Additionally, analysis of human tumor data revealed that higher levels of macrophages and BDNF correlate with worse survival outcomes, suggesting the findings could translate to patient care.
Why it feels good
This discovery shines a hopeful new light on breast cancer treatment by identifying a novel pathway that tumors use to promote growth and resist therapy. It highlights how cancer can cleverly hijack the body's own immune system and nervous system, providing new targets for intervention beyond just attacking cancer cells directly.
Because the drug tested to block BDNF is already available on the market, this could accelerate development of treatments focused on stopping nerve recruitment into tumors. Such therapies might also boost patients' immune responses, helping the body fight cancer more effectively.
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Researchers are exploring exactly how nerves support tumor growth, including their possible role in forming blood vessels and assisting cancer cells to spread. Their next steps include testing similar interventions in other aggressive cancers, like high-grade ovarian cancer, that are hard to treat.
Long term, this research opens the exciting possibility of reversing cancer's suppression of the immune system. Future treatments might enable patients' own immune cells to reject tumors more robustly, marking a promising shift in cancer therapy strategies.