Lipid Metabolism in Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021:1316:149-167. doi: 10.1007/978-981-33-6785-2_10.

Abstract

T cells recognize "foreign" antigens and induce durable humoral and cellular immune responses, which are indispensable for defending pathogens, as well as maintaining the integrity and homeostasis of tissues and organs. T cells are the major immune cell population in the tumor microenvironment which play a critical role in the antitumor immune response and cancer immune surveillance. Defective immune response of tumor-infiltrating T cells is the main cause of cancer immune evasion. The antitumor response of T cells is affected by multiple factors in the tumor microenvironment, including immunosuppressive cells, immune inhibitory cytokines, tumor-derived suppressive signals like PD-L1, immnuogenicity of tumor cells, as well as metabolic factors like hypoxia and nutrient deprivation. Abundant studies in past decades have proved the metabolic regulations of the immune response of T cells and the tumor-infiltrating T cells. In this chapter, we will discuss the regulations of the antitumor response of tumor-infiltrating T cells by lipid metabolism, which is one of the main components of metabolic regulation.

Keywords: Fatty acid; Lipid; Metabolism; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor-infiltrating T cell.

MeSH terms

  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / metabolism
  • Neoplasms*
  • T-Lymphocytes* / metabolism
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Cytokines