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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Nov 4.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Metab. 2021 Jan 4;3(1):21–32. doi: 10.1038/s42255-020-00317-z

Figure 2. Tumor metabolism influences and is influenced by the metabolite composition of the TME.

Figure 2.

Tumor cells have been shown to adapt to the TME and to take advantage of local metabolite compositions in order to sustain tumor growth, proliferation and survival. Aside from the well-studied Warburg effect, tumor cells also recycle waste products such as ammonia and lactate in order to sustain biomass production. Furthermore, specifically in vivo, low levels of cystine reduce the activity of the antiporter xCT/SLC7A11 and thus glutamate export. The high intracellular glutamate pool limits glutamine catabolism and anaplerosis. Finally, high uric adic levels in the plasma inhibit UMP synthase (UMPS) and pyrimidine synthesis.