bims-cagime Biomed News
on Cancer, aging and metabolism
Issue of 2026–06–07
thirty papers selected by
Kıvanç Görgülü, Technical University of Munich



  1. bioRxiv. 2026 May 21. pii: 2026.05.19.726342. [Epub ahead of print]
      Ferroptosis is a regulated form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, and lipid droplets (LDs) are increasingly recognized as important regulators of this process. Consistent with this role, the anti-ferroptotic factor ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1) is known localizing on LDs through N-myristoylation-dependent membrane targeting, where it protects LD lipids from peroxidation. Here, we identify the LD protein HSD17B11 as an additional factor required for maintaining both FSP1 localization on LDs and cellular FSP1 abundance. Silver staining followed by mass spectrometry analysis of purified LD proteins identified reduced LD-associated FSP1 in HSD17B11-deficient cells, which was further validated by immunoblotting and imaging analyses. Mechanistically, HSD17B11 physically interacted with FSP1 and was required to preserve FSP1 association with LDs. Mutational analyses further demonstrated that both FSP1 N-myristoylation and an intact HSD17B11 interaction interface are necessary for LD targeting. Correspondingly, HSD17B11 deficiency reduced LD-associated and total cellular FSP1 levels and increased cellular sensitivity to lipid oxidative stress. Together, our findings identify HSD17B11 as a previously unrecognized regulator of LD-associated FSP1 and reveal an additional mechanism controlling compartmentalized ferroptosis defense.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.19.726342
  2. Nature. 2026 Jun 03.
      Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of cell death driven by lipid peroxidation1. Here we identify spermine-a polyamine derived from spermidine2-as an endogenous iron chelator that directly suppresses ferroptosis. Integrating metabolomics, stable isotope tracing and biophysical studies of the interaction between spermine and Fe2+ ions, we demonstrate that aldehyde dehydrogenase 18 family member A1 (ALDH18A1) promotes an alternative glutamine-dependent pathway for de novo spermine synthesis. This process limits iron availability and lipid peroxidation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of ALDH18A1-through knockout, short hairpin RNA delivered using adeno-associated virus (AAV), or the small molecule inhibitor YG1702-triggers ferroptosis and impairs both spontaneous and chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Conversely, supplementation of spermine protects against ferroptosis-associated ischaemia-reperfusion injury across multiple tissues, including the liver, intestine and kidneys. These findings uncover a pathophysiologically relevant metabolic circuit in which spermine-mediated iron chelation suppresses ferroptosis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10597-2
  3. N Engl J Med. 2026 May 31.
    RASolute 302 Trial Investigators
       BACKGROUND: Current therapies offer limited benefit for patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC). Aberrant activation of the RAS pathway is the key driver of PDAC, with oncogenic RAS mutations present in more than 90% of cases. Daraxonrasib is an oral RAS(ON) multiselective, tri-complex inhibitor of the active guanosine triphosphate-bound state of mutant and wild-type RAS.
    METHODS: In this phase 3, international, open-label, randomized trial, we randomly assigned patients with previously treated mPDAC to receive daraxonrasib or chemotherapy of the investigator's choice. The dual primary end points were overall survival and progression-free survival in the subpopulation of patients with RAS G12 mutations (the RAS G12 population). Key secondary end points included overall survival and progression-free survival in the overall population (which included patients with RAS G12, G13, or Q61 mutations or with no RAS mutation identified) and objective response and patient-reported quality of life in the RAS G12 and overall populations. Safety was also assessed.
    RESULTS: A total of 500 patients, including 91.8% with RAS G12 mutations, were randomly assigned to receive daraxonrasib (248 patients) or chemotherapy (252 patients). The median overall survival in the RAS G12 population was 13.2 months with daraxonrasib and 6.6 months with chemotherapy, and the median overall survival in the overall population was 13.2 months and 6.7 months, respectively; the hazard ratio was 0.40 in both populations (P<0.001). The median progression-free survival in the RAS G12 population was 7.3 months with daraxonrasib and 3.5 months with chemotherapy, and that in the overall population was 7.2 months and 3.6 months, respectively; the hazard ratios were 0.45 and 0.49, respectively (P<0.001 for both comparisons). Adverse events that occurred after the start of treatment were reported in all the patients in the daraxonrasib group and in 97.7% of those in the chemotherapy group; the incidence of adverse events of grade 3 or higher was 61.8% and 69.6%, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events that led to treatment discontinuation occurred in 1.2% of the patients in the daraxonrasib group and in 11.2% of those in the chemotherapy group.
    CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with previously treated mPDAC, treatment with daraxonrasib led to significantly longer overall survival and progression-free survival than chemotherapy. (Funded by Revolution Medicines; RASolute 302 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT06625320.).
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2605555
  4. Nature. 2026 Jun 03.
      Lysosomal membrane integrity is essential for cell survival, but how damage sensing is spatiotemporally coupled to repair remains poorly understood. Recruitment and assembly of endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) I-III rapidly counteracts membrane damage, but it is unclear how ESCRT-I recognizes defective lysosomal membranes. Here, leveraging genome-wide CRISPRi screens in a damage-sensitized genetic background, we identified LC3/GABARAP-assisted stimulator for ESCRT recruitment (LASER), a multicomponent protein assembly that forms rapidly upon calcium release from damaged lysosomes and couples sensing of lysosomal membrane damage to ESCRT-dependent repair. At the core of LASER is TFG, an endoplasmic reticulum exit-site-resident protein that translocates to damaged lysosomes by binding to ATG8 family proteins (LC3 and GABARAP) conjugated to lysosomal phospholipids. ATG8-bound TFG forms oligomeric assemblies that directly recruit the essential ESCRT-I subunit TSG101 via conserved motif recognition enhanced by avidity-driven interactions. TFG binding to TSG101 stimulates sequential ESCRT-I-II-III polymerization and promotes membrane repair. TFG mutations that drive hereditary spastic paraplegia disrupt its oligomerization and impair lysosomal ESCRT recruitment and membrane resealing, implicating defective repair as a driver of TFG-associated neurodegeneration. Thus, LASER promotes ESCRT polymerization at damaged lysosomes and couples damage sensing to membrane repair.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10604-6
  5. bioRxiv. 2026 May 26. pii: 2026.05.22.724502. [Epub ahead of print]
      GATA6 and GATA4 play key roles in pancreatic development and are essential to maintain the classical transcriptional program in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Using genetic mouse models we show that, in contrast to GATA6, GATA4 is dispensable for the maintenance of acinar homeostasis in the adult pancreas. Deletion of Gata4 in mice expressing mutant Kras in the embryonic pancreas (KG4C) leads to PDAC development in the absence of tissue remodeling, pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), or other canonical precursor lesions present in Gata4 -proficient (KC) mice. Similar observations were made when Gata4 was selectively inactivated in adult, Kras -mutant, acinar cells. We identify Pale Acinar Lesions (PALes) as a previously unrecognized pancreatic lesion, distinct from acino-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and PanINs, present in KC and KG4C mice but not in wild type mice. PALes display weak expression of acinar and ductal markers and lack mucins; they have lower proliferation rates than PanINs. RNA-seq and ChIP-seq reveal that GATA4 and GATA6 partially share genomic binding sites and transcriptomic effects, but they exert opposing influences on mutant Kras -induced, haematopoietic cell-dependent, transcriptional inflammatory programs. Adenoviral-mediated pancreatic expression of IL17 restored the formation of ductal lesions in KG4C mice but failed to rescue PanIN development. Our data indicate that GATA4 functions through the coordinated action of multiple inflammatory factors that are required for ADM/PanIN formation but are dispensable for PDAC development. Collectively, these findings challenge current paradigms of PDAC initiation and progression.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.22.724502
  6. Chem Biomed Imaging. 2026 May 25. 4(5): 867-876
      The efficacy of ferroptosis-based cancer therapies is often limited by acquired resistance, but the underlying adaptive mechanisms, particularly those involving lipid droplet (LD) remodeling, remain poorly understood. Existing methods for studying ferroptosis do not quantitatively capture the biophysical changes in LDs that support cell survival. Here, we report BP-Ph-LD, a red-emitting BODIPY probe that enables the quantitative mapping of LD polarity via fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Using this probe, we monitored the LD dynamics in breast cancer cells undergoing prolonged treatment with the ferroptosis inducer erastin. The resistant state was characterized by a marked decrease in LD polarity, indicating a metabolic shift toward more saturated and less oxidizable lipids. This shift coincided with spatial segregation of LDs: nonpolar LDs clustered near the nucleus, whereas more polar, peroxide-rich LDs localized at the cell periphery. Morphologically distinct, nonspherical LDs also emerged in resistant cells. In early ferroptosis, in contrast, LD polarity and positioning correlated with mitochondrial integrity, linking biophysical adaptation to organelle protection under oxidative stress. Collectively, these findings identify LD polarity as a functional biomarker for ferroptosis resistance and introduce a quantitative optical tool to investigate biophysical adaptation during drug tolerance in cancer.
    Keywords:  BODIPY; drug resistance; ferroptosis; fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy; lipid droplets; polarity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.5c00193
  7. bioRxiv. 2026 May 21. pii: 2026.05.19.726308. [Epub ahead of print]
      Cancer cells alter their metabolism to support growth and survival, most notably by fermenting glucose to lactate even in the presence of oxygen, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. Although this metabolic state has been recognized for decades, its bioenergetic advantages remain unclear, as fermentation produces less net ATP than mitochondrial respiration. How aerobic fermentation contributes to cellular energy balance therefore remains unresolved. Here, we show that extracellular acidification generated by lactate export creates a proton gradient across the plasma membrane that is harnessed by ectopic ATP synthases to drive intracellular ATP production. We find that ATP synthase and proton-shuttling components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain translocate to the plasma membrane in cancer cells and are preferentially oriented to exploit this gradient, linking a hallmark of aerobic fermentation directly to energy supplementation. This work provides a mechanistic resolution to the apparent energetic inefficiency of the Warburg paradigm and identifies a previously unrecognized pathway for energy complementation in cancer.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.19.726308
  8. Cell Rep. 2026 Jun 05. pii: S2211-1247(26)00599-1. [Epub ahead of print]45(6): 117521
      Piezo2 is a force-gated ion channel that functions as a sensor of mechanical touch, proprioception, lung inflation, and gut transit. Human Piezo2 contains seven domains that are alternatively spliced in a tissue-specific fashion resulting in the expression of at least 22 distinct variants. Despite the relevance of Piezo2 in human physiology, its sensitivity to membrane tension, and how this fundamental biophysical property is affected by alternative splicing, are unknown. Here, we use cell-attached pressure-clamp electrophysiology combined with differential interference contrast microscopy to quantify the response of Piezo2 to membrane tension and identify the alternatively spliced exon 35 as a domain sufficient to confer high sensitivity to membrane tension and cellular indentation. We further show that physiological variants of Piezo2 sense mechanical forces with distinct sensitivities and dynamic ranges. Together, our findings rationalize how Piezo2 variants may fulfill distinct physiological functions required for somatosensation and interoception.
    Keywords:  CP: molecular biology; CP: neuroscience; Piezo1; Piezo2; alternative splicing; force gated ion channel; mechanotransduction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117521
  9. Cancer Res. 2026 Jun 01.
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) relies on elevated autophagy to support metabolism, proliferation, and immune evasion. Inhibiting autophagy has been reported to improve response rates in patients with PDAC. In this work, we identified a mechanism to explain how loss of autophagy in PDAC triggers reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment (TME) to ultimately stimulate an antitumor response. Autophagy inhibition in PDAC recruited macrophages via the CXCL1/2-CXCR2 axis. Simultaneously, loss of autophagy resulted in a decrease of the canonical "don't eat me" ligand CD47 on tumor cells, thereby inducing their susceptibility to macrophage phagocytosis. While CD8+ T cells were critical to the anti-tumor immune response to autophagy inhibition in PDAC, they were not directly involved in cytotoxicity but played a critical role in stimulating macrophage phagocytosis of tumor cells. Taken together, this study strongly supports the implementation of autophagy inhibition in pancreatic cancer and highlights a crucial link between PDAC biology and the TME-macrophage crosstalk that effectively promotes tumor cell killing.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-25-2451
  10. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Jun 09. 123(23): e2610708123
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the lowest cancer survival rates. Recent studies using RAS inhibitors have opened the door to more efficacious therapies although their beneficial effect is still limited mainly due to the rapid appearance of tumor resistance. Here, we demonstrate that genetic ablation of three independent nodes involved in downstream (RAF1), upstream (EGFR), and orthogonal (STAT3) KRAS signaling pathways leads to complete and permanent regression of orthotopic PDACs induced by Kras/Tp53 mutations. Likewise, a combination of selective inhibitors of KRAS (RMC-6236/daraxonrasib), EGFR family (afatinib), and STAT3 (SD36) induced the complete regression of orthotopic PDAC tumors with no evidence of tumor resistance for over 200 d posttreatment. This combination therapy also led to significant regression of genetically engineered mouse tumors as well as patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDX) in the absence of tumor relapses. Of importance, this combination therapy was well tolerated. In sum, these results should guide the development of new clinical trials that may benefit PDAC patients.
    Keywords:  EGFR; KRAS; STAT3; triple therapy; tumor resistance
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2610708123
  11. bioRxiv. 2026 May 26. pii: 2026.05.22.727290. [Epub ahead of print]
      Durable therapeutic efficacy remains a major barrier to improving outcomes for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). An immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) is a hallmark of PDAC and has been demonstrated to be a dominant driver of therapeutic resistance. The aberrant glycan CA19-9 is prevalent in PDAC and drives tumor progression, but the paracrine mechanisms by which it contributes to TME remodeling are unknown. To address this, we mapped TME changes and performed functional analyses using a genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) harboring Kras G12D mutation and inducible CA19-9 expression. Elevation of CA19-9 led to expansion of antigen-presenting cancer associated fibroblasts (apCAFs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which can drive immunosuppression. Antibody blockade of CA19 -9 resulted in significant restoration of normal histology and decreased apCAF and Treg populations. We dissected the paracrine signaling mechanisms that drive this TME remodeling in vitro using mouse and human organoid mono- and co-culture models as well as in vivo using GEMMs and syngeneic orthotopic transplantation models. CA19-9 induced IL1a and TGFb expression, reprogramming pancreatic mesothelial cells into apCAFs in vitro , which in turn directly ligated naïve Cd4 + T cells resulting in Treg differentiation in co-cultures. Antibody blockade of IL1a and TGFb in mice led to reduced apCAF and Treg differentiation. We previously reported that CA19-9 modification of the secreted Fbln3 protein increased Egfr engagement and now find that the induction of IL1a and TGFb expression by CA19-9 is dependent on Fbln3 hyperactivation of EGFR signaling. Genetic depletion of Fbln3 led to reduced tumor progression and increased Cd8 + T cell infiltration in mice. Together these findings identify a previously unknown signaling axis driving immunosuppressive phenotypes in PDAC, uncovering multiple potential nodes to relieve the immunosuppressive pressures within the PDAC TME.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.22.727290
  12. bioRxiv. 2026 May 23. pii: 2026.05.20.726695. [Epub ahead of print]
      Chemotherapy and radiation reduce tumor burden but leave behind residual cells that survive via therapy-induced senescence (TIS). These cells constitute a latent reservoir fueling recurrence, yet strategies for their selective elimination are lacking. Here, we identify lysosomal ferrous iron accumulation as a conserved hallmark and actionable vulnerability of TIS tumor cells. Across diverse models, senescent tumor cells exhibit marked hypersensitivity to ferroptosis induction. In breast cancer PDX models, sequential ferroptosis induction following chemotherapy significantly delays recurrence, while dual inhibition of GPX4 and FSP1 produces durable, often complete, eradication of residual tumors without overt toxicity. Mechanistically, activation of the TFEB-HO-1 axis in TIS tumor cells drives ferrous iron accumulation, thereby priming cells for ferroptosis. Together, these findings establish ferrous iron accumulation as a defining feature of TIS and position ferroptosis induction as a potent senolytic strategy to eliminate therapy-refractory residual disease.
    Statement of significance: Senescent tumor cells remaining after treatment can drive cancer recurrence yet remain poorly understood and therapeutically intractable. Here, we identify lysosomal ferrous iron accumulation as a universal hallmark of therapy-induced senescence and demonstrate that ferroptosis induction functions as an effective senolytic strategy. Our findings provide mechanistic and translational support for the "one-two punch" therapeutic paradigm.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.20.726695
  13. BMC Bioinformatics. 2026 Jun 04.
       BACKGROUND: Advances in mass spectrometry (MS)-based lipidomics have led to a significant surge in data volume, underscoring a need for robust tools to efficiently evaluate and visualize these expansive datasets. While numerous software tools have been developed, current workflows are hindered by manual spreadsheet handling and insufficient data quality assessment prior to analysis. Here, we introduce LipidCruncher, an open-source, web-based platform designed to easily process, visualize, and analyze lipidomic data with high efficiency and rigor.
    RESULTS: LipidCruncher consolidates key steps of the lipidomics analysis workflow, including data standardization, normalization, and stringent quality controls. The platform also provides advanced visualization and analysis tools that are tailored to interrogate lipidomic data and enable detailed and holistic data exploration. To illustrate LipidCruncher's utility, we analyzed lipidomic data from adipose tissue of mice lacking the triacylglycerol synthesis enzymes DGAT1 and DGAT2.
    CONCLUSIONS: LipidCruncher fills a specific gap in the lipidomics analysis ecosystem by providing an integrated, quality-focused platform that accepts data from multiple sources and complements existing specialized tools. By bridging the critical divide between data generation and biological interpretation, LipidCruncher facilitates rigorous lipidomics analyses to accelerate the translation of complex lipid profiles into biological insights.
    Keywords:  Bioinformatics; Computational biology; Lipidomics; Lipids; Mass spectrometry; Open-source software; Phospholipids; Scientific software; Sphingolipids; Sterols
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12859-026-06483-3
  14. Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2026 May 30. pii: S0955-0674(26)00039-6. [Epub ahead of print]101 102651
      Autophagy is initiated by the formation of a double-membrane autophagosome which is fine-tuned by the involvement of multiple protein machineries, organelles, and membrane pools. Autophagosome formation proceeds through steps requiring membrane nucleation, membrane expansion, and vesicle closure, initiated and coordinated by the cohort of ATG (Autophagy) proteins and lipids, such as PI(3)P and PE. Recent studies provide insights into how different molecular machineries act and interact to enable this complex vesicular pathway. Here, we review the current understanding of the steps that lead to autophagosome formation from a molecular perspective and, in this context, discuss the role of protein-membrane crosstalk in moulding the phagophore structure.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2026.102651
  15. Cell Rep. 2026 Jun 04. pii: S2211-1247(26)00574-7. [Epub ahead of print]45(6): 117496
      The complex interplay between nerves, immunity, and tumor progression remains poorly understood, particularly in the context of chemotherapy. Here, we investigated how neural remodeling influences tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and clinical outcomes following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAT) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Using tissue samples from 86 treatment-naïve and 49 NAT-treated patients with PDAC, we demonstrated that chemotherapy significantly increases both nerve density (ND) and TLS abundance. Notably, nerve-proximal TLSs (N-TLSs) displayed more mature phenotypes and correlated positively with tumor regression. Spatial transcriptomics of nerve regions showed chemotherapy-induced transcriptional reprogramming of Schwann cells, marked by altered myelination programs and elevated pro-inflammatory signaling. The Schwann cell state shift coincides with TLS accumulation, maturation, and enhanced peri-neural immune infiltration. Collectively, our study indicates a spatially organized neuro-immune axis linking neural remodeling to TLS abundance and maturation after chemotherapy and nominates N-TLS abundance as a potential histological biomarker of treatment response in resected PDAC.
    Keywords:  CP: cancer; CP: neuroscience; antitumor immunity; cancer neuroscience; nerve dependence; nerve-cancer interactions; neuroimmunology; pancreatic cancer; perineural invasion; tumor microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117496
  16. bioRxiv. 2026 May 21. pii: 2026.05.20.726559. [Epub ahead of print]
      Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an intractable disease with few effective treatment options. PDAC is characterized by a dense, fibro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME) consisting mainly of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and a CAF-generated collagen-rich extracellular matrix (ECM). As the ECM has profound impacts on tumor progression and therapy response, it is critical that we understand the mechanisms underlying ECM deposition and remodeling. In addition to a highly fibrotic and reactive TME, a hallmark of PDAC is pain. 93% of PDAC patients experience pain, and ∼70% are prescribed opioids for pain management during the course of their cancer treatment. Despite epidemiological evidence linking opioid use with diminished patient survival, how opioids impact tumor biology remains largely unknown. We now provide evidence that both endogenous and exogenous opioids drive ECM remodeling in the PDAC TME. We find that the commonly prescribed opioid morphine promotes the development of poorly differentiated tumors and increases collagen bundling and maturation in a mouse model of PDAC. Accordingly, RNA sequencing reveals that morphine induces significant upregulation of ECM genes and collagen modifying enzymes. We developed a morphine-induced gene signature which correlates significantly with the basal/mesenchymal subtypes of human PDAC and predicts worse overall survival in PDAC and other tumor types. Mechanistically, pharmacological inhibition and genetic knockdown of the mu opioid receptor (OPRM1) in CAFs attenuates expression of type 1a and type 3a collagens, and the myofibroblastic CAF marker alpha-SMA, demonstrating that opioid signaling is a direct regulator of CAF biology. Additionally, we provide the first evidence that CAFs produce endogenous opioids capable of activating OPRM1 and driving collagen expression. Finally, treatment with the FDA-approved peripherally restricted OPRM1 antagonist methylnaltrexone (MNTX) reduces desmoplasia, tumor weight, and ascites burden in a mouse model of PDAC. Therefore, we have identified a novel opioid-mediated signaling axis driving PDAC desmoplasia and reveal MNTX as a potential therapeutic to inhibit both exogenous and endogenous opioid-induced ECM remodeling and tumor aggressiveness.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.20.726559
  17. Sci Adv. 2026 Jun 05. 12(23): eaed7115
      Piezo1 ion channels are widely expressed cellular mechanosensors. They adopt an intrinsically curved shape when closed and are thought to open when mechanical forces applied to the membrane favor a more flattened conformation. In previous studies, Piezo1 channels in lipid vesicles adopted a somewhat flattened conformation mediated by membrane curvature; however, the ion conduction pore remained closed. In line with the closed pore, Piezo1 channels do not open and conduct ions in the kind of lipids that were used in the structural studies. Here, we show first that Piezo1 channels in cell-derived membranes retain the ability to open and conduct ions under mechanical force, and second, that in cell-derived membrane vesicles, they adopt a more completely flattened disk shape associated with large conformational changes within and around the ion conduction pathway. These conformational changes occurring in cell-derived lipid membranes suggest that mechanical force is necessary but insufficient, and that a specific membrane-derived cofactor complements mechanical force to activate Piezo1.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aed7115
  18. bioRxiv. 2026 May 21. pii: 2026.05.20.723252. [Epub ahead of print]
      The structure of phospholipid headgroups and chains are well-established drivers of membrane elastic properties, but functions for different chemistries that join these moieties together are poorly understood. While canonical phospholipids feature ester linkages, alkyl ether- and plasmenyl-linked species emerged in prokaryotes, are highly abundant in metazoans, and have been implicated in neurodegeneration and aging. Ether phospholipid chemistry, and plasmenyl linkages in particular, arose independently several times in evolution, suggesting conserved functions in the structure of cell membranes. Here we combine experiments and molecular simulations to determine how backbone linkage chemistry modulates membrane mechanics. We find that ether linkages additively promote negative intrinsic curvature, destabilizing bilayers and enhancing membrane fusion. They also decouple membrane stiffness from viscosity, softening membranes while maintaining packing in the hydrophobic core. The plasmenyl linkage uniquely stabilizes the inverted hexagonal phase by lowering the energetic cost of chain stretching, providing a rationale for the evolution of its biosynthesis. These results explain the fusogenicity of ether lipids and show how they regulate membrane topology through multiple physical mechanisms. We propose that phospholipid backbone linkage chemistry constitutes a modular control element for membrane mechanics and topology.
    Significance statement: The structure and dynamics of cell membranes can be sensitive to small chemical changes in their phospholipid building blocks. Phospholipids with ether bonds connecting their glycerol backbone and hydrocarbon chains have long been proposed to impart chemical stability to thermo- and acidophile microbial membranes, but have more recently been identified as major components of mammalian tissues. We show that ether linkages promote membrane dynamics through imposition of a canonical molecular geometry and by decoupling of bending stiffness from chain ordering. Plasmalogen lipids, in which the ether linkage is modified with a vicinal double bond, further promote non-lamellar topologies through a chain-stretching mechanism. These biophysical features suggest a basis for the repeated emergence of ether phospholipids in evolution and their observed functions in membrane trafficking. The thermodynamic and structural bases of plasmalogen function are especially notable as these lipids have been increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disease.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.20.723252
  19. Cell. 2026 Jun 04. pii: S0092-8674(26)00569-6. [Epub ahead of print]
      Biomolecular condensates compartmentalize the interior of cells to organize complex functions, yet linking molecular interactions within condensates to their mesoscale organization remains a major challenge. To bridge this gap, we developed a neural-network-based framework-Deep-Phase (deep learning of phase-separated condensates)-that uses microscopy images to directly measure condensate morphology changes resulting from pharmacological alterations in associated biochemical processes. We use Deep-Phase to precisely quantify time- and concentration-dependent structural perturbations to the multiphase nucleolus and show that they are tightly coupled to potencies of drugs inhibiting ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription and processing. Applying Deep-Phase in a chemical screen, we identify a unique nucleolar morphology and discover a role for a DNA topoisomerase in rRNA processing. Mechanistic studies of this morphology provide insights into how the interfaces between nucleolar sub-compartments are maintained. We demonstrate Deep-Phase's adaptability to diverse cell lines, labeling techniques, and condensates, offering a powerful platform for connecting molecular pathways to cellular mesoscale organization.
    Keywords:  RNA biochemistry; RSV; TOP1; biomolecular condensate; deep learning; high-content imaging; morphological profiling; nuclear speckle; nucleolus
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2026.05.010
  20. EMBO Rep. 2026 Jun 05.
      Chromosomal instability (CIN), characterized by frequent changes in chromosome number and structure, is common in human carcinomas and often leads to aneuploidy, an unbalanced number of chromosomes. Drosophila has been instrumental in demonstrating that CIN can promote tumour growth and malignancy through aneuploidy-induced senescence, a state marked by cell-cycle arrest and high secretory activity. Despite extensive chromosomal heterogeneity, we show that these cells share a distinct transcriptional programme, with most responses to aneuploidy and senescence regulated at the transcriptional level. We unravel a pro-survival function of the Hippo-Yorkie signalling pathway in aneuploidy-induced senescent cells and present evidence that nearly 10% of the most upregulated genes encode secreted proteins of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Five of these proteins act additively, locally or systemically, to block proliferation and induce cell death in neighbouring tissues. This non-autonomous cell death feeds back to the tumour to enhance its growth, resembling super-competition and providing insight into tumour-host interactions relevant to human cancer.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-026-00811-7
  21. Autophagy. 2026 Jun 03.
      Macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy) plays a key role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and shaping response to stress and inflammation. We report that inflammatory cytokines trigger caspase-8-dependent cleavage of the autophagy adaptor protein p62/SQSTM1 at aspartic acid 329 generating a truncated form (tr-p62). Tr-p62 enhanced TNF-induced cell death by stabilizing the RIPK1-dependent complex-IIb and amplifying caspase-8 activation, while having no detectable effect on necroptosis. Blocking autophagy caused tr-p62 accumulation and increased TNF-induced cell death, while non-cleavable p62 reduced autophagic responses and TNF sensitivity. Interestingly, mice naturally lack the caspase-8 cleavage site in p62 and restoring a cleavable version of p62 sensitized mouse cells to TNF-induced cell death. In addition, mice with cleavable p62 showed heightened sensitivity to TNF-induced toxic shock and chemical colitis in vivo. These findings identify p62 cleavage as a key regulator linking autophagy to TNF-driven inflammatory cell death and highlight an important species-specific difference that may influence the interpretation of inflammatory disease models.
    Keywords:  Autophagy; TNF; caspase; cell death; p62
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2026.2684606
  22. Cancer Discov. 2026 Jun 01. OF1
      The pan-RAS inhibitor daraxonrasib led to an unprecedented doubling of overall survival compared with chemotherapy for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in a phase III study. The data, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, cement the drug as a new standard-of-care for the second-line treatment for metastatic disease and motivate further trials of RAS-targeted therapies.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-NW2026-0062
  23. J Cell Biol. 2026 Jul 06. pii: e202602009. [Epub ahead of print]225(7):
      Seipin is a conformationally flexible, oligomeric scaffold that regulates cellular lipid homeostasis beyond lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis. Seipin senses local lipid composition and membrane features to direct metabolic flux toward specific pathways and organelles. Its ring adopts multiple conformations, influenced by cofactors such as the LD assembly factor 1 and adipogenin, as well as lipid ligands including phosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol, and triacylglycerol, conferring broad functional versatility. Although seipin is an ER-resident protein primarily enriched at ER-LD junctions, a fraction relocates to mitochondria-associated membranes under specific metabolic conditions, where it regulates lipid synthesis, turnover, and local Ca2+ levels, thereby facilitating interorganelle communication and maintaining metabolic stability. Seipin dysfunction disrupts this multinodal regulation, causing lipid imbalance, organelle abnormalities, and a range of metabolic and neuronal disorders. We propose a unified model in which seipin functions as a multistate proteolipid regulatory hub: a rheostat whose structure and interactome dynamically adjust to control lipid pathway decisions in response to metabolic signals across organelle contact networks.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202602009
  24. Cell Metab. 2026 Jun 02. pii: S1550-4131(26)00188-9. [Epub ahead of print]38(6): 1085-1088
      Cancer has revealed that the mitochondrion is not a static organelle but a system of extraordinary plasticity. Here, we introduce fundamental mitochondrial behaviors that have been illuminated by cancer research and propose that further investigation in mitochondrial biology holds promise for oncology and beyond.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2026.05.003
  25. bioRxiv. 2026 May 27. pii: 2026.05.17.725158. [Epub ahead of print]
      The tissue-resident immune system involves complex 3D assemblies that interact with extended structures such as blood vessels and nerves. These interactions are difficult to study using conventional 2D profiling because they span many tissue sections. In animal tissues, volumetric imaging approaches such as light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) are widely used to study 3D tissue organization, with labelling often aided by genetically encoded reporters and vascular dyes. In contrast, LSFM of human specimens remains underdeveloped because most clinical samples are available only as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue, limiting labeling strategies primarily to dyes and antibodies. Here, we present a volumetric cyclic immunofluorescence (v-CyCIF) and virtual H&E toolbox that overcomes key barriers to multiplexed imaging of immune cells and nerves in human specimens up to 1 mm thick. We use v-CyCIF to study neuroimmune interactions in normal and cancer tissues and to immunoprofile intact secondary and tertiary lymphoid structures. Re-embedding and sectioning of specimens following volumetric imaging enables high-plex high-resolution analysis of subcellular structures and cell-cell interactions associated with immune cell activity. v-CyCIF therefore provides a flexible framework for multi-scale 3D profiling of clinical specimens across imaging formats and resolutions.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.17.725158
  26. Dev Cell. 2026 Jun 02. pii: S1534-5807(26)00162-0. [Epub ahead of print]
      Cellular stiffness impacts multiple steps of cancer metastasis, but mechanisms that regulate the stiffness of cancer cells remain poorly understood. Here, we identified potassium efflux and potassium calcium-activated channel subfamily M regulatory beta subunit 1 (KCNMB1), an auxiliary subunit of the large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels, as regulators of cellular stiffness downstream of myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTFA). In primary pericytes, KCNMB1 knockdown increased cellular stiffness, which is consistent with the role of potassium efflux in promoting relaxation during excitation-contraction coupling. In a striking contrast, however, KCNMB1 knockdown decreased cancer cells' stiffness. Softer cancer cells were resistant to natural killer (NK) cell mediated cytotoxicity and the low KCNMB1 expression was associated with reduced survival in breast cancer patients. Importantly, pharmacological activation of BK channels reduced metastatic burden in mice and improved lysis of cancer cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. These results highlight the ionic regulation of stiffness in cancer cells and point to BK channel agonism as a therapeutic approach.
    Keywords:  KCNMA1; KCNMB1; MRTFA; SRF; cancer; cell stiffness; ion channels; mechanobiology; mechanosurveillance; metastasis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.05.001
  27. Cell Rep. 2026 Jun 02. pii: S2211-1247(26)00565-6. [Epub ahead of print]45(6): 117487
      The protein arginine methyl transferase 5 (PRMT5) emerges as a therapeutic target in S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP)-deleted cancers, where 5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) accumulation partially inhibits its activity. However, it remains unclear whether other genetic alterations can dictate PRMT5 activity in cancer. Here, we identify liver kinase B1 (LKB1) as an alternative predictor of PRMT5 inhibition in lung cancer independent of MTAP. Mechanistically, LKB1 loss activates salt-inducible kinase 1/2 (SIK1/2)-cAMP response element-binding protein-regulated transcription coactivator 2 (CRTC2) signaling to upregulate nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), creating a "methyl sink" that lowers the S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAM/SAH) ratio and attenuates PRMT5 activity. NNMT overexpression is sufficient to induce this hypomorphic PRMT5 state and heighten sensitivity to PRMT5 inhibitors. Functionally, PRMT5 inhibition induces senescence in LKB1-deficient cells and confers vulnerability to navitoclax, synergistically blunting tumor growth in vivo. Collectively, we identify PRMT5 as an actionable therapeutic vulnerability in LKB1-deficient lung cancer, and propose LKB1 status/NNMT expression as potential biomarkers for PRMT5 inhibition. These findings may expand the clinical utility of PRMT5-targeted therapies beyond MTAP-deleted cancers.
    Keywords:  CP: cancer; LKB1; NNMT; PRMT5; methyl sink; senescence
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117487
  28. bioRxiv. 2026 May 21. pii: 2026.05.19.726221. [Epub ahead of print]
      Lysosomal trafficking and homeostasis are biological functions that are pivotal for DRG neurons, given their metabolic demands and extremely long axons. Previous studies indicate that lysosomal signaling is altered in a mouse model of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and that blocking mitogen activated protein kinase-associated kinase (MNK1/2) signaling can alleviate pain behaviors in CIPN. Here, we investigated lysosome dynamics and lysosome-associated signaling in a mouse model of CIPN induced by paclitaxel (PTX), a chemotherapeutic agent used for various types of cancer. Using spinning disk super-resolution microscope (SPINSR), we demonstrate that PTX treatment in vivo causes reduced lysosome motility observed in vitro. PTX likewise drives the accumulation of Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), also known as P62, in cultured mouse DRG neurons, indicating lysosomal dysfunction in DRG neurons. The transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of lysosomal biogenesis, was also upregulated in the nucleus of cultured mouse DRG neurons treated with PTX. In line with this, increased lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) expression was observed in PTX-treated mice. Given that our previous work demonstrated PTX treatment increases MNK1/2-eIF4E signaling in DRG neurons, we examined whether MNK1/2 inhibition could rescue lysosomal dysfunction. Treatment with Tomivosertib (eFT508), a potent MNK1/2 inhibitor, restored P62 levels in DRG neurons of PTX-treated mice and reduced TFEB in DRG treated in vitro . To establish translation relevance, we further show that PTX elevates phosphorylated eiF4E (p-eIF4E) in human DRG neurons, and concurrent eFT508 administration attenuates this effect. Collectively, these findings indicated that PTX disrupts lysosome trafficking and biogenesis, and that MNK inhibition with eFT508 restores lysosomal signaling and can serve as a neuroprotective strategy for CIPN.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.19.726221