Mitochondrial defunctionalization supresses TIM-3-galectin-9 secretory pathway in human colorectal cancer cells and thus can possibly affect tumor immune escape

Abstract

The Tim-3-galectin-9 secretory pathway is known to protect various types of cancer cells against host immune surveillance. We found that pharmacologically induced mitochondrial dysfunction leads to a reduced galectin-9 expression/exocytosis in human colorectal cancer cells and re-distribution of this protein (the effect described for various cellular proteins) into mitochondria.