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. 2023 Jun 28;15(13):3390. doi: 10.3390/cancers15133390

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Glucose metabolic crosstalk between breast cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. Glucose metabolic crosstalk between breast cancer (BC) cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumor-infiltrating T cells (TILs), or cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is mediated by glucose metabolites such as lactate and pyruvate. Lactate can contribute to the transition of macrophages from M1-like to M2-like, while acting as a double-edged sword in modulating T cells. CAFs undergo a reverse Warburg effect, producing lactate and pyruvate which are taken up by breast cancer cells to promote their proliferation. The upward arrow indicates increased activity in the specific metabolic pathway–glycolysis or oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS).