Breast Tumor Metastasis: How They Fuel Up & What to Do

UCSF scientists discovered that ‍triple-negative breast cancer cells build molecular tunnels,⁤ called ⁣gap junctions, into nearby fat cells and trigger them to release energy, fueling tumor growth. Teh study, published in Nature Communications (DOI:‍ 10.1038/s41467-025-62486-3), analyzed fat and tumor cells from patients and laboratory⁢ models. Blocking gap⁤ junctions ⁣halted tumor growth, presenting a potential treatment strategy, as ⁤drugs targeting gap junctions are already in clinical trials for brain cancer. The ‍research was‍ led by Andrei Goga, Ph.D., professor of cell and tissue biology at UCSF.

[Image of breast cancer cells with credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain]

FINAL OUTPUT:
UCSF scientists ⁣discovered that triple-negative breast cancer cells build⁤ molecular tunnels, called gap junctions, into nearby fat cells and trigger them to release energy, fueling tumor growth. The study, published ⁣in Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62486-3),analyzed fat and tumor cells from patients and laboratory models. Blocking gap junctions halted ⁤tumor growth, presenting a potential ⁣treatment strategy, as drugs targeting gap junctions are already in⁣ clinical trials for brain cancer. The research was ⁤led by Andrei⁢ Goga, Ph.D.,professor of cell and tissue biology at UCSF.[Image of breast cancer cells with credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain]