Invisibility cloak: this is how cancer cells abuse our cells’ protein factories

Cancer cells abuse our own ribosomes and thus manage to hide from the immune system. Scientists from the Netherlands Cancer Institute found this. Ribosomes, the protein factories of our cells, are capable of much more than we thought. And tumor cells have known this for some time.

The immune system constantly monitors our body for abnormalities. It is essential for cancer cells to avoid these studies. “In recent decades, the medical world has succeeded in increasing the visibility of cells to the immune system, which has led to all kinds of advances in cancer treatment,” explained researcher Liam Faller from Netherlands Cancer Institute. “But many patients do not respond to these immunotherapies or resist.” So how cancer cells manage to escape the immune system is still a big mystery.

Clock of invisibility
It now appears that cancer cells are using our own ribosomes to hide. Each cell contains millions of these little protein factories. “They produce all the protein we need,” says Faller. “It’s a vital job, which is why we always thought that all ribosomes were the same and simply made proteins according to instructions from the cell nucleus. But our research shows that this is not necessarily true. ” The study explains how malignant cells use their large number of ribosomes to create a kind of cloak of invisibility, making them harder for our immune system to detect. “These results change the way we think about ribosomes,” the researchers wrote.

Ribosome raises its arm
Cells appear to change their ribosomes when they receive a warning signal from the immune system. Faller explains: “They shift the balance to a type of ribosome with a flexible arm, the P-stalk. This arm stands out clearly, making them more visible to the immune system.” Like a person’s facial expression, the surface of a cell reveals a lot about what is happening inside. “Cells coat themselves with little bits of protein. This helps the immune system recognize them if something is wrong,” said Faller, who has study in the journal Cell show up. “This is an essential part of our immune response. If a cancer cell interferes with this process, it becomes largely invisible to the immune system. “

A game of cat and mouse at the cellular level
NKI scientists have discovered a new way in which cancer cells can put on such a ‘poker face’: by changing their ribosomes. Fewer ribosomes with flexible arms means that the surface of the cell shows less ‘feelings’. “We are now busy finding out exactly how cancer cells do this, so that we can try to block this malignant building,” said Anna Dopler, a researcher from Faller’s team. “If we succeed in this, we can make cancer cells more visible. The immune system can then detect and destroy them. “

Researchers are still fascinated by ribosomes. They will soon study the flexible protein factories and their communication properties and hope to gain new knowledge that they can use to improve cancer treatment in the future. “Every cell in our evolutionary tree needs ribosomes. There is even a theory that all life evolved to make ribosomes to duplicate themselves. It’s a wild idea, but I think it’s really good,” Faller concluded. “I don’t know if it’s true, but the idea that there’s something so ancient in our cells all affecting me.”