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REVIEW article

Front. Oncol.
Sec. Cancer Molecular Targets and Therapeutics
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1506849
This article is part of the Research Topic Novel Molecular Targets in Cancer Therapy View all 3 articles

Crosstalk between lactate and tumor-associated immune cells: clinical relevance and insight

Provisionally accepted
Kemin Sun Kemin Sun 1Ye Shen Ye Shen 2*Xiang Xiao Xiang Xiao 1*Hao Xu Hao Xu 1*Ming Li Ming Li 1*Quanli Zhang Quanli Zhang 1*
  • 1 Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
  • 2 School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Lactate, which was traditionally viewed as a metabolic byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis, has emerged as a significant signaling molecule involved in the development of tumors. Current studies highlight its dual function, where it not only fuels tumor development but also modulates immune responses. Lactate has an effect on various tumor-associated immune cells, promoting immunosuppressive conditions that facilitate tumor growth and immune evasion. This phenomenon is strongly associated with the Warburg effect, a metabolic shift observed in many cancers that favors glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation, resulting in elevated lactate production. Exploring the complex interplay between lactate metabolism and tumor immunity provides a novel understanding regarding the mechanisms of tumor immune evasion and resistance to therapies. This review discusses the unique biology of lactate in the TME, its impact on immune cell dynamics, and its potential as a tumor treatment target.

    Keywords: Lactate, Tumor Microenvironment, Warburg effect, Immunosuppression, cancer immunotherapy

    Received: 06 Oct 2024; Accepted: 06 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Sun, Shen, Xiao, Xu, Li and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Ye Shen, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Liaoning Province, China
    Xiang Xiao, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
    Hao Xu, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
    Ming Li, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
    Quanli Zhang, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.