The cellular metabolic landscape in the tumor milieu regulates the activity of myeloid infiltrates

Abstract

Malignant cells upregulate distinct energy metabolism programs that support their proliferation, migration, and adaptation to the stressful tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, this exaggerated metabolic activity allows cancer cells to hijack essential nutrients and outcompete neighboring infiltrating immune cells, thereby impairing antitumor immunity. During recent years, there has been great interest in the field to understand the tumor-induced energy metabolism signals that regulate the function of immune cells in individuals with cancer. Accordingly, it is now well accepted that uncovering the mechanisms that instruct the metabolic behavior of cancer cells and tumor-associated immune cells is an indispensable strategy for the development of new approaches to overcome immune suppression in tumors. Thus, in this minireview, we briefly discuss the interaction between particular metabolic signaling pathways and immunosuppressive activity in different subsets of myeloid cells within the TME. Additionally, we illustrate potential central mechanisms controlling the metabolic reprogramming of myeloid cells in response to tumor-derived factors.