Reprogramming of lipid metabolism in the tumor microenvironment: a strategy for tumor immunotherapy

Abstract

Lipid metabolism in cancer cells has garnered increasing attention in recent decades. Cancer cells thrive in hypoxic conditions, nutrient deficiency, and oxidative stress and cannot be separated from alterations in lipid metabolism. Therefore, cancer cells exhibit increased lipid metabolism, lipid uptake, lipogenesis and storage to adapt to a progressively challenging environment, which contribute to their rapid growth. Lipids aid cancer cell activation. Cancer cells absorb lipids with the help of transporter and translocase proteins to obtain energy. Abnormal levels of a series of lipid synthases contribute to the over-accumulation of lipids in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Lipid reprogramming plays an essential role in the TME. Lipids are closely linked to several immune cells and their phenotypic transformation. The reprogramming of tumor lipid metabolism further promotes immunosuppression, which leads to immune escape. This event significantly affects the progression, treatment, recurrence, and metastasis of cancer. Therefore, the present review describes alterations in the lipid metabolism of immune cells in the TME and examines the connection between lipid metabolism and immunotherapy.

Unraveling the intricate relationship between lipid metabolism and oncogenic signaling pathways

“…Lipids can be used as substrates for biomass synthesis or stored for future oxidation to generate energy that supports cell movement and growth ( Hopperton et al, 2014 ; Yao et al, 2016 ; Lin et al, 2017 ). Furthermore, lipids can directly bind to receptors, which allows them to trigger intricate signaling pathways that encourage cell growth and migration ( Auciello et al, 2019 ; Wu et al, 2024 ). A high level of lipids or an imbalance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids can disturb the body’s equilibrium and increase cellular strain.…”