It takes a CAD to kill a tumor cell with a LMP

Abstract

Cancer cells display lysosome hypertrophy, secreting lysosomal hydrolases for tumor progression. Hypertrophy renders lysosomes fragile, increasing lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) tendency. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Petersen and colleagues show that lysosomal sphingomyelin content determines LMP and cationic drugs displace acid sphingomyelinase from lysosomal membranes, increasing tumor LMP and death.