Metabolic Crosstalk in the Tumor Microenvironment
A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 9
Special Issue Editors
Interests: stem cells; cancer; multiple myeloma; cell metabolism; bone marrow
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: cancer; melanoma; oxidative stress; cell signaling
Interests: laboratory diagnostics in oncology; urological cancers; redox medicine; metabolism
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The dynamic metabolic interactions in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are pivotal in driving tumor progression, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance in solid and hematological malignancies. These interactions involve crosstalk between cancer cells and stromal cells (e.g., cancer-associated fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells) mediated by nutrient competition, metabolic symbiosis, and signaling metabolites. Defining metabolic crosstalk between cancer cells and TME is of paramount importance for advancement in cancer prediction, diagnosis, and therapy.
Oncometabolites, together with the altered activity of essential metabolic enzymes, are important mediators of cancer growth, immune evasion, and metastasis. Molecules including lactate, succinate, fumarate, and D-2 hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG) act as drivers of cancer by altering epigenetic regulation, impairing DNA repair, and remodeling the TME, linking genetic alterations to metabolic and epigenetic dysregulation in cancer. This profiling serves as a powerful tool for cancer biomarker discovery, understanding tumor biology, and guiding precision oncology interventions.
This Special Issue will include research articles and reviews that aim to elucidate a new interplay between cancer cells and TME metabolism. Articles within this issue should address the multifaceted nature of TME metabolism, tackling the scientific challenges of the metabolic reprogramming (altered macromolecule metabolism, redox balance, and adaptation to hypoxia), metabolic crosstalk between tumor and stromal cells, nutrient competition, immune response modulation, etc. Further, the issue explores emerging therapeutic strategies that target metabolic key points within the TME to disrupt tumor progression and enhance the efficacy of existing treatments. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this Special Issue provides a comprehensive overview of the metabolic landscape of the TME, offering new insights and potential avenues for cancer therapy.
Articles should contain one of the following:
- Nutrient competition and scarcity in the interplay between tumor cells and TME;
- Symbiotic metabolite exchange between tumor cells and TME cells;
- Immunosuppressive metabolites: Lactate, adenosine, and tryptophan;
- Age-related metabolic reprogramming of TME: Oncometabolites and epigenetic changes;
- Targeting metabolic pathways and oncometabolites: Diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities;
- Integrative omics technologies in revealing tumor metabolites.
Dr. Drenka Trivanovic
Dr. Ristic Biljana
Dr. Vesna M. Ćorić
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- cancer
- oncometabolites
- tumor microenvironment
- metabolic crosstalk
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