Prof. Yosuke Togashi to Present Groundbreaking Insights on Mitochondrial Transfer and Immune Evasion in Cancer
Prof. Togashi’s upcoming lecture follows his landmark publication in Nature (February 2025), where his team uncovered a novel immune evasion mechanism in cancer: the direct transfer of mutated mitochondria from cancer cells to tumor-infiltrating T cells (TILs).
Why Prof. Togashi’s Contribution Is Strategic
- Discovery of Mitochondrial Transfer as an Immune Evasion Mechanism
Prof. Togashi and colleagues demonstrated that cancer cells transfer mutated mitochondria to tumor-infiltrating T cells (TILs), leading to functional impairment of the immune response. - Homoplasmic Replacement in T Cells
This transfer causes replacement of healthy T cell mitochondria with cancer-derived, mutation-bearing mitochondria—effectively sabotaging T cell metabolism, memory formation, and anti-tumor function. - Inhibition of Mitophagy via USP30
He uncovered that mitophagy-inhibitory molecules, especially USP30, are transferred along with the mitochondria, preventing the degradation of dysfunctional mitochondria in T cells. - Impact on Immunotherapy Resistance
The study linked mitochondrial transfer to poor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in melanoma and lung cancer patients, providing a novel biomarker and therapeutic target to overcome resistance. - Therapeutic Reversibility
Blocking mitochondrial transfer or inhibiting USP30 restored T cell function, paving the way for new combinatory approaches to boost immunotherapy efficacy.
A New Era in Cancer Immunometabolism
Prof. Togashi’s insights underscore the critical need to rethink cancer metabolism and immune resistance at the mitochondrial level. His work bridges cancer biology, immunology, and mitochondrial medicine—a core mission of the Targeting Mitochondria community.
