1171-Mitotrek: Mapping Human Tumor Myeloid Origins

Paper Talk · Jun 23, 2026 · 20m

This research introduces Mitotrek, a novel multi-omic method that utilizes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations to trace the lineage of innate immune cells in human lung and ovarian cancers. By analyzing single-cell data from matched tumors, tissues, and blood, the researchers discovered that tumor-resident myeloid cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, originate from circulating monocytes. These findings reveal that myeloid cells do not expand significantly within the tumor but instead possess epigenetic biases programmed in the blood prior to infiltration. Specifically, certain…