Ribosome transfer via tunnelling nanotubes rescues protein synthesis in pancreatic cancer cells.

[BACKGROUND] Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is considered as one of the deadliest types of cancer. Tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) are thin, membranous, intercellular communication structures observed in normal and cancer cells, where they mediate the exchange of intracellular material and promote cell fitness, cancer spread and treatment resistance.

[RESULTS] PDAC cells increase the formation of TNTs upon exposure to gemcitabine. In the PANC-1 cell line and in tumour explants from patients, we observe polyadenylated mRNA, 5.8S rRNA, ribosomal proteins and assembled 80S ribosomes within the TNTs. Using HaloTag-labelled small ribosomal subunit component RPS9 we demonstrate the transport of ribosomes via TNTs into acceptor cells. Downregulation of ribosomal proteins S6 and L24 decreases the number of assembled ribosomes and the global protein translation in PDAC cells, while a co-culture with translationally unimpaired cells partially restores protein synthesis in cells with impaired protein translation.

[CONCLUSIONS] PDAC cells can exchange components of the protein translation machinery and mRNA. The intercellular transfer of these components causes a partial restoration of protein translation in cells with impaired protein synthesis, which may contribute to the resilience of pancreatic cancer cells, highlighting the potential of targeting TNT dynamics as a therapeutic approach for PDAC.

[GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT] [Image: see text]

[SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION] The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12964-026-02763-w.