Hijacked macrophages sustain glioblastoma cells

Metabolic rewiring of a population of tumour-associated macrophages facilitates progression of glioblastoma, new research has revealed. A multi-omics approach demonstrated that the macrophages develop a lipid-laden phenotype, in which they accumulate cholesterol after uptake of myelin debris. Transfer of this accumulated cholesterol to glioblastoma cells helps to meet the high metabolic requirements of the tumour and sustain its growth. These mechanistic insights provide an opportunity for therapeutic targeting of lipid-laden macrophages.