An Israeli Breakthrough Reprograms T Cells Through Metabolism and Ant2, Boosting the Immune System's Ability to Fight Tumors
- Jul 30
- 2 min read
An exciting breakthrough led by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and international partners could redefine cancer immunotherapy. Published in Nature Communications, the study reveals an innovative strategy to enhance the immune system’s ability to fight tumors.
The key lies in reprogramming how T cells—the immune system’s "frontline soldiers"—produce energy. The team, co-led by Prof. Michael Berger and PhD student Omri Yosef, discovered that by disabling a protein known as Ant2 in these cells, their effectiveness is dramatically enhanced against tumors.
This disabling action triggers a complete shift in how T cells produce and use energy, "rewiring" their internal power supply at the level of the mitochondria, the energy-producing structures in cells. This transforms T cells into stronger, faster, and more resilient cancer fighters, exhibiting greater stamina, more rapid multiplication, and improved precision in homing in on and destroying cancer cells, boosting the immune system's ability to fight tumors.
Perhaps most exciting is the possibility of inducing this change pharmacologically, meaning with drugs, not just genetically. This opens the door to much more accessible clinical applications. This strategy aligns with a growing trend in immunotherapy that focuses not just on guiding immune responses, but on upgrading the cells themselves—enhancing their efficiency from within.
The practical applications are potentially far-reaching. It could improve existing CAR-T therapies, making them more durable and effective in hostile tumor environments where cell exhaustion or limited persistence are common issues. Furthermore, by fine-tuning the body’s own immune cells, this approach may avoid some of the severe side effects seen with chemotherapy or full immune activation. Although the study focused on CD8+ T cells in a model system, the metabolic reprogramming concept could potentially be applied across many types of solid tumors or hematological cancers, including those traditionally resistant to immunotherapy.
As Prof. Berger explained, this work highlights how deeply interconnected metabolism and immunity truly are, promising more natural and effective therapies. "We’re not just helping the immune system aim—we’re giving it better tools to win the fight," Berger said.
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