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Tumor-brain communication restrains anti-cancer immunity via a vagal sensory-to-sympathetic axis Haohan Karen Wei
- Format:
- Book
- Thesis/Dissertation
- Author/Creator:
- Wei, Haohan Karen, author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Biology.
- Physiology.
- Neurosciences.
- Oncology.
- 0306.
- 0992.
- 0317.
- 0719.
- Local Subjects:
- Biology.
- Physiology.
- Neurosciences.
- Oncology.
- 0306.
- 0992.
- 0317.
- 0719.
- Genre:
- Academic theses
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (134 pages)
- Contained In:
- Dissertations Abstracts International 87-12B
- Place of Publication:
- Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 2026
- Language Note:
- English
- Summary:
- Communication between the body and brain has emerged as a key regulator of tissue homeostasis. Solid tumors are innervated by different branches of the peripheral nervous system, and increased tumor innervation has been associated with poor cancer outcomes. However, it remains unexplored how the brain senses and responds to tumors in peripheral organs, and how the tumor-brain communication influences cancer immunity. Here, we identify a previously unrecognized tumor-brain axis that promotes oncogenesis by establishing an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Combining genetically engineered mouse models with neural tracing and single-cell transcriptomics, we demonstrate that lung adenocarcinoma induces increased innervation and altered gene expression in vagal sensory neurons (VSNs), a major interoceptive system connecting visceral organs to the brain. Mechanistically, we found that Npy2r+ vagal sensory nerves transmit signals from lung tumors to brainstem nuclei, driving elevated sympathetic efferent activity in the TME. This, in turn, suppresses anti-tumor immunity via β2-adrenergic signaling in alveolar macrophages. Disruption of this sensory-to-sympathetic pathway through genetic, pharmacological or chemogenetic approaches all significantly inhibited lung tumor growth by enhancing immune responses against cancer. Collectively, these results reveal a bidirectional tumor-brain communication involving vagal sensory input and sympathetic output that cooperatively regulate anti-cancer immunity; targeting this tumor-brain circuit may provide new treatments for visceral organ cancers
- Notes:
- Source: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 87-12, Section: B.
- Advisors: Jin, Chengcheng; Simon, M. Celeste Committee members: Albelda, Steven M.; Brodsky, Igor E.; Luo, Wenqin; Marshak, Robert R.
- Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania 2026
- Vendor supplied data
- Local Notes:
- School code: 0175
- ISBN:
- 9798247982944
- Access Restriction:
- Restricted for use by site license
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