Biologics: Targets & Therapy (May 2022)

Targeting Metabolic Reprogramming of T-Cells for Enhanced Anti-Tumor Response

  • Dabi YT,
  • Andualem H,
  • Degechisa ST,
  • Gizaw ST

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 35 – 45

Abstract

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Yosef Tsegaye Dabi,1,2 Henok Andualem,3 Sisay Teka Degechisa,1,4 Solomon Tebeje Gizaw1 1Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia; 3Immunology and Molecular Biology, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia; 4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Yosef Tsegaye Dabi, Tel +251911364465, Email [email protected]: Cancer immunotherapy is an effective treatment option against cancer. One of the approaches of cancer immunotherapy is the modification of T cell-based anti-tumor immune responses. T-cells, a type of adaptive immune response cells responsible for cell-mediated immunity, have long been recognized as key regulators of immune-mediated anti-tumor immunity. T-cell activities have been reported to be suppressed or enhanced by changes in cell metabolism. Moreover, metabolic reprogramming during activation of T cells is required for the development of distinct differentiation profiles of these cells, which may allow the development of long-term cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. However, T cells have been shown to undergo metabolic exhaustion in tumor microenvironment (TME) as it poses several obstacles to their function. Applications of several mechanistic solutions to improve the efficacy of T cell-based therapies including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy are yet to be determined. Modifying the metabolic properties of these cells and employing them in cancer immunotherapy is a potential strategy for improving their anti-tumor activity and therapeutic efficacy. To give an insight, in this review paper, we endeavoured to cover metabolic reprogramming in cancer and T cells, signalling mechanisms involved in immuno-metabolic regulation, the effects of the TME on T cell metabolic fitness, and targeting metabolic reprogramming of T cells for an enhanced anti-tumor response.Keywords: T-cell, cancer, immunotherapy, metabolic reprogramming

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