Figure 1. Mitochondria-mediated metabolic support in memory T cell anti-tumor immunity.

The metabolic stresses in the tumor microenvironment, including nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, acidic environment and immunosuppressive cytokine milieu, suppress anti-tumor responses and metabolic fitness in effector T cells. These microenviornmental barriers could affect mitochondrial mass and activity that lead to impaired TCA cycle and changes in bioenergetic programm. However, memory T cells might maintain their anti-tumor immunity by resisting to these microenvironmental barriers or sustaining their mitochondrial mass and functions.