Summary: “Although mitochondria are often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell, these organelles can also act as signalling hubs that control physiological processes. One such signalling pathway controls inflammation. Writing in Nature, Zecchini et al. and Hooftman et al. report that fumarate (a molecule produced as an intermediate of metabolic processes in mitochondria) triggers the activation of specific inflammation-related pathways. Their findings have implications for cancer and inflammatory diseases.”

 Nature 615, 401-402 (2023).

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00596-y