ANN ARBOR, MI, NOVEMBER 11, 2026—Cayman Chemical is proud to share its contribution to an important study published in Cell that advances our understanding of how the immune system fights cancer.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, challenges a decades-old assumption of how immune cells eliminate tumor cells. The research demonstrates that perforin, a protein produced by T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, can directly induce cancer cell death through a process known as ferroptosis, even in the absence of major granzymes that were previously thought to be essential for perforin-mediated cell death.

The paper, “Perforin triggers iron-induced mitochondrial damage to drive ferroptosis and anti-tumor immunity,” was published in Cell in October 2026. The study was led by Drs. Weiping Zou, Ilona Kryczek, and Judy Lieberman, with contributions from an international team of researchers, including Cayman Chemical scientists Samantha Goodwin and Miguel Gijón, PhD, who conducted the lipid analysis.

“One of the most exciting aspects of this work is that it expands our understanding of the different ways immune cells eliminate tumor cells, and it highlights the role of oxidized lipids” said Miguel Gijón, PhD, Scientist at Cayman Chemical and coauthor of the study. “The discovery that perforin can directly drive ferroptosis opens new questions about the relationship between immune function, iron metabolism, and cancer cell death. Studies like this help build a more complete understanding of the biological mechanisms that may ultimately improve cancer immunotherapy.”

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death that has emerged as an important area of biomedical research over the past decade. Previous research from the Zou laboratory helped establish the importance of ferroptosis in antitumor immune responses. The new findings reveal that perforin not only forms pores in tumor cell membranes but it can also disrupt iron regulation within cancer cells, leading to lipid oxidation, mitochondrial damage, and, ultimately, cell death.

The study combined biochemical and genetic experiments, mouse models, lipid analysis, and human tumor RNA sequencing and survival data. Researchers found that higher perforin expression was associated with improved patient survival and stronger responses to immune checkpoint blockade therapies, suggesting clinical relevance for this pathway.

At Cayman Chemical, supporting breakthroughs like this is central to our mission. For more than four decades, Cayman has partnered with academic, government, and industry researchers by providing the high-quality biochemical tools, analytical expertise, and scientific collaboration needed to advance discovery.

“We are proud to see Cayman scientists contributing to research published in one of the world’s leading scientific journals,” said Paul Kennedy, Vice President of Chemistry at Cayman Chemical. “Scientific progress depends on strong collaborations among academic institutions, healthcare organizations, and industry partners. Supporting researchers as they pursue fundamental discoveries that advance our understanding of disease and creating opportunities for better treatments remains central to Cayman Chemical’s mission.”

The findings may help researchers better understand why certain tumors respond to immunotherapy and could ultimately contribute to the development of more effective cancer treatments.

Read More  

• Read the full University of Michigan news release
  
• Read the publication in Cell
  
• Learn more about Lipidomics & Lipid Analysis Services from Cayman Chemical
  
  

Publication Details 

Bell, H.N., Nair, K., Tison, K. et al. Perforin triggers iron-induced mitochondrial damage to drive ferroptosis and anti-tumor immunity. Cell 2026.

About Cayman Chemical

Cayman Chemical helps make research possible by providing products and services to scientists worldwide. Cayman's collection includes high-quality biochemicals, assay kits, antibodies, and proteins, empowering researchers to understand the biological mechanisms of health and disease and develop new therapies. Cayman's expert scientists also offer custom synthesis, purification, and characterization of biochemicals ranging from small drug-like heterocycles to complex biolipids, and fatty acids, and are highly skilled in all aspects of assay and antibody development, protein expression, crystallization, and structure determination. In addition, Cayman offers a wide range of analytical services using LC-MS/MS, HPLC, GC, and many other techniques. Cayman also performs GMP compliant drug development and manufacturing in both Ann Arbor, Michigan and Neratovice, Czech Republic.  

Learn more at www.caymanchem.com