Скачать или смотреть High Plasticity Cells as Key Drivers of Cancer Progression and Drug Resistance

Nature Study Identifies “High-Plasticity Cells” as Key Drivers of Cancer Progression and Drug Resistance
January 24, 2026 — A groundbreaking study published in Nature by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has pinpointed a rare subset of cells in lung adenocarcinoma that dictate tumor fate. These “high-plasticity cell state” (HPCS) cells exhibit stem-like flexibility, enabling tumors to evolve, spread, and resist therapies. By hijacking the body’s normal tissue repair mechanism, HPCS cells fuel the transition from benign growths to aggressive carcinomas. In mouse models, eliminating these cells reduced tumor burden and limited drug resistance. The study further identified uPAR, a surface protein on these cells, as a potential therapeutic target. This discovery sheds light on a common strategy used by many epithelial cancers and opens new avenues for targeted treatments aimed at cancer’s core evolutionary engine.
[1] Chan, J.E., Pan, CH., Rub, J. et al. Critical role for a high-plasticity cell state in lung cancer. Nature (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09...
[2] Small number of ‘highly plastic’ cancer cells drive disease progression and treatment resistance. Retrieved on Jan. 23rd from https://www.eurekalert.org/news-relea...