PINK1-mediated mitophagy supports lung cancer initiation and limits the efficacy of KRAS-targeted therapy.

PINK1-dependent mitophagy is increased from the earliest stages of lung tumorigenesis and supports lung cancer initiation.

• Why it matters: Understanding mitophagy's role in lung cancer could reveal new vulnerabilities for therapy, especially since its function during tumor development and treatment response is not well known.
• What they did: Researchers examined PINK1-dependent mitophagy in human lung adenocarcinoma and used mito-QC reporter mice to monitor mitophagy during tumor development, finding increased activity in tumors.
• The result: Inhibiting PINK1 impaired early tumor formation and significantly enhanced the effectiveness of KRAS-targeted therapy, suggesting targeting mitophagy may improve treatment outcomes.