ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2026
Ribosome transfer via tunnelling nanotubes rescues protein synthesis in pancreatic cancer cells.
Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- MicroRNA-15a/16 regulate protein metabolism and are associated with clinical outcomes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.Physiological reports · 2026Article
- From energy provision to protein synthesis: Tunnelling nanotubes as mediators of intercellular metabolic cooperation in cancer.FEBS open bio · 2026Review
- Mobile Powerhouses: Mitochondria Transfer via Tunnelling Nanotubes in Brain Health and Neurodegenerative Diseases.The European journal of neuroscience · 2026Review
- RiboBright reveals cell-type-specific differences in ribosome organization and movement.Nature communications · 2026Article
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10 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is considered as one of the deadliest types of cancer. Tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) are thin, membranous, intercellular communication structures observed in normal and cancer cells, where they mediate the exchange of intracellular material and promote cell fitness, cancer spread and treatment resistance.
resultsPDAC cells increase the formation of TNTs upon exposure to gemcitabine. In the PANC-1 cell line and in tumour explants from patients, we observe polyadenylated mRNA, 5.8S rRNA, ribosomal proteins and assembled 80S ribosomes within the TNTs. Using HaloTag-labelled small ribosomal subunit component RPS9 we demonstrate the transport of ribosomes via TNTs into acceptor cells. Downregulation of ribosomal proteins S6 and L24 decreases the number of assembled ribosomes and the global protein translation in PDAC cells, while a co-culture with translationally unimpaired cells partially restores protein synthesis in cells with impaired protein translation.
conclusionsPDAC cells can exchange components of the protein translation machinery and mRNA. The intercellular transfer of these components causes a partial restoration of protein translation in cells with impaired protein synthesis, which may contribute to the resilience of pancreatic cancer cells, highlighting the potential of targeting TNT dynamics as a therapeutic approach for PDAC.
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