MTFP1 drives pancreatic cancer liver metastatic colonisation by regulating mitochondrial metabolism reprogramming.

Increased MTFP1 expression drives pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma liver metastasis by promoting mitochondrial metabolism reprogramming and immunosuppression.

• Why it matters: Liver metastasis causes high mortality in PDAC patients, yet the mechanisms behind mitochondrial dynamics and immune evasion during metastasis are poorly understood, limiting therapeutic options.
• What they did: Using CRISPR screening, mouse models, and molecular analyses, the study identified MTFP1 as a key regulator that enhances oxidative phosphorylation via ATP synthase modulation, activating the ROS/PI3K/AKT/c-MYC pathway and impairing immune responses.
• The result: Inhibiting MTFP1 or glutamine uptake reverses immunosuppression and reduces liver colonization, suggesting that targeting MTFP1 could be an effective strategy against PDAC metastasis.