MERTK and RAC1P29S Drive Melanoma Cannibalism of T cells

RAC1P29S metastatic melanoma cells engulf more Jurkat T cells than an isogenic RAC1WT revertant line, with live imaging revealing lamellipodial dynamics during whole-cell engulfment.

• Why it matters: The molecular basis for how metastatic melanoma recognizes and cannibalizes lymphocytes is unclear, limiting understanding of this aggressive immune-evasion behavior.
• What they did: Using real-time live imaging and an inhibitor screen across RAC1P29S and RAC1WT patient-derived lines, the study tested requirements for engulfment, including MERTK and actin regulators.
• The result: Cannibalism depends on the phosphatidylserine receptor MERTK, and a RAC1P29S line lacking detectable MERTK was not cannibalistic, supporting a grip-and-gulp model.

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