Glioblastoma Hijacks Astrocyte Ribosomes to Feul Malignancy through Translatome Reprogramming

Glioblastoma cells hijack ribosomes from surrounding astrocytes through tunneling nanotube-like structures, and transferred ribosomes are translationally active to reprogram the tumor translatome.

• Why it matters: Elevated protein synthesis is a hallmark of cancer, but direct ribosome requisition from host cells in glioblastoma was unclear.
• What they did: Using in vivo and in vitro ribosome tracing plus single-cell RNA sequencing and traceable ribosome profiling, the study maps translational reprogramming after ribosome transfer. A genome-wide CRISPR screen identifies INTS12 as a mediator, tested by genetic inactivation and AAV-mediated knockdown.
• The result: INTS12 loss impairs ribosome uptake, reduces translation and proliferation, remodels the immunosuppressive landscape, and extends survival in orthotopic models, establishing ribosome transfer as a therapeutic vulnerability.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.