Figure 3. Immune cell-guided metabolic reprogramming leads to immune evasion.

During immunosurveillance, a two-way communication occurs between tumor cells and infiltrating immune cells through cytokines or metabolites, controlling immune evasion. Multiple metabolic features contribute to an immune suppressive TME, such as adenosine expression, lactate generation from robust glycolysis, competition for glucose, and fatty acid production. IL4 and IL13 production in Th2 and IFNγ expression from CD8⁺ T cells sculpt the cancer cell immunogenicity by reprograming metabolism via epigenetic control (Dey et al, 2020; Li et al, 2023; Tsai et al, 2023). Hence, a metabolic immunoediting process facilitates cancer progression and contributes to escape from immune surveillance by suppressing T cell effector function and promoting survival and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs). The highlighted targets in red and bold represent potential metabolic targets that could be used for clinical cancer therapy. Green lines represent potential pathways for metabolic reprogramming during immune evasion.