Molecular Connections between Cancer Cell Metabolism and the Tumor Microenvironment

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Calvin R. Justus¹  Edward J. Sanderlin¹  Li V. Yang¹ 

[1] Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; E-Mails:

关键词: tumor microenvironment;    cancer cell metabolism;    hypoxia;    acidosis;    cancer therapy;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms160511055

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Cancer cells preferentially utilize glycolysis, instead of oxidative phosphorylation, for metabolism even in the presence of oxygen. This phenomenon of aerobic glycolysis, referred to as the “Warburg effect”, commonly exists in a variety of tumors. Recent studies further demonstrate that both genetic factors such as oncogenes and tumor suppressors and microenvironmental factors such as spatial hypoxia and acidosis can regulate the glycolytic metabolism of cancer cells. Reciprocally, altered cancer cell metabolism can modulate the tumor microenvironment which plays important roles in cancer cell somatic evolution, metastasis, and therapeutic response. In this article, we review the progression of current understandings on the molecular interaction between cancer cell metabolism and the tumor microenvironment. In addition, we discuss the implications of these interactions in cancer therapy and chemoprevention.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.