Figure 2.

Metabolic competition between cancer cells and immune cells in the TME. There is a competition between tumor cells and immune cells to take up glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, growth factors, and other metabolites in the TME. The most critical nutrient consumed and absorbed by tumor cells is glucose, which also serves as an essential energy substance for the differentiation, activation, and function of infiltrated immune cells in the TME, such as TILs. Competitive uptake of glucose by tumor cells to suppress the function of TILs. Increased glycolytic activities of tumor cells, and generated metabolites, such as lactate, can suppress glucose consumption by TILs, and their exhaustion.