New Nature Paper by the group of Mathias Heikenwälder

A recent Nature publication by the group of Mathias Heikenwälder and several colleagues at the M3 Research Center highlights that chronic cellular stress (ER stress) is crucial for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and impairs the adaptive immune response against liver cancer. 

The study led by an international research team shows that the permanent activation of the stress signaling protein ATF6α both promotes more aggressive tumors and weakens immune cells. The research indicates that tumors with high ATF6α activity grow faster and have poorer prognoses, while responding well to immunotherapies. ATF6α could serve as both a therapeutic target and a biomarker for selecting patients for immunotherapies in the future. The findings open up new approaches to strengthening the immune response against liver cancer by specifically influencing metabolic pathways.

Listen to a short podcast or read more about this paper on the website of the German Cancer Research Center: https://www.dkfz.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen

Reference:

Xin Li et al. Activated ATF6a is a hepatic tumour driver restricting immunosurveillance. Nature (2026) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-10036-8