How Mitochondria Drive Cancer Survival

Cancer cells employ multiple survival strategies, including metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion, and resistance to apoptosis, while manipulating the tumor microenvironment to enhance their proliferative capacity. This Science Note introduces that altered mitochondrial function contributes to immune evasion and metastatic potential during cancer progression.

Immune evasion through mitochondrial transfer in the tumour microenvironment

Click here for the original article: Hideki Ikeda, et. al., Nature, 2025.
Cancer cells transfer mutated mitophagy-resistant mitochondria to T cells, inducing metabolic dysfunction and senescence in T cells, leading to impaired antitumor immunity.

Highlighted technique: Mitochondrial transfer and mitophagy evaluation are important experiments, and this study evaluates these phenomena using simple methods such as mitochondrial and marker protein labeling. Dojindo also has Highly retentive Mitochondrial Staining Dyes and No transfection required Mitophagy Staining Dye.

Mitochondrial complex I promotes kidney cancer metastasis

Click here for the original article: Divya Bezwada, et. al., Nature, 2024.
Kidney cancer progression involves distinct metabolic shifts, with primary tumors exhibiting suppressed TCA cycle activity, while metastases exhibit a distinct metabolic program driven by mitochondrial complex I that promotes metastasis.

Highlighted technique: The isolation of mitochondria while maintaining their activity is highly technical, but it allows detailed metabolic analysis specific to mitochondria. Would there be a demand for a simple procedure kit?

Mitochondrial respiratory complex III sustains IL-10 production in activated macrophages and promotes tumor-mediated immune evasion

Click here for the original article: Alessia Zotta, et. al., Science Advances, 2025.
IL-10 overexpression characterizes aggressive cancers, where cancer cells stimulate macrophages to produce IL-10 via complex III-dependent ROS, allowing immune evasion.

Highlighted technique: Differentiation of CD14+ monocytes into macrophages is a common technique, but the inducing factors vary across labs. These factors determine the polarization of macrophages into types such as M1 or M2. Identifying the specific macrophage type used in experiments can help refine the analysis.

 Induction of Mitophagy in Parkin Expressed HeLa cells

CCCP was added to Parkin-expressing HeLa cells and normal HeLa cells to confirm mitophagy. In the experiment, lysosomes and mitochondria were co-stained, and a strong mitophagic signal was observed on mitochondria and lysosomes in Parkin-expressing HeLa cells.

Metabolic shift to glycolysis in senescenct cells