Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting

Abstract Glucose metabolism is a pivotal hub for cellular energy production and the generation of building blocks that support cell growth, survival, and differentiation. Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to sustain rapid proliferation, survive in harsh microenvironments, and resist thera...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bo-Syong Pan, Che-Chia Hsu, Hsin-En Wu, Yuan-Ru Chen, Xiaobo Zhou, Shu-Chi Wang, Chia-Yang Li, Hui-Kuan Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Biomedical Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-025-01167-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849342644558233600
author Bo-Syong Pan
Che-Chia Hsu
Hsin-En Wu
Yuan-Ru Chen
Xiaobo Zhou
Shu-Chi Wang
Chia-Yang Li
Hui-Kuan Lin
author_facet Bo-Syong Pan
Che-Chia Hsu
Hsin-En Wu
Yuan-Ru Chen
Xiaobo Zhou
Shu-Chi Wang
Chia-Yang Li
Hui-Kuan Lin
author_sort Bo-Syong Pan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Glucose metabolism is a pivotal hub for cellular energy production and the generation of building blocks that support cell growth, survival, and differentiation. Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to sustain rapid proliferation, survive in harsh microenvironments, and resist therapies. Beyond producing energy and building blocks to meet cancer cell demands, glucose metabolism generates numerous metabolites that serve as signaling molecules, orchestrating signaling pathways and epigenetic modifications that regulate cancer cell phenotypes and immunity. In this review, we discuss how glucose, through its metabolism and direct actions, influences diverse biological processes driving cancer progression and therapeutic resistance, while also exploring metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer for therapeutic strategies.
format Article
id doaj-art-dbeb3dfa0b914e6a8c896f204e50406f
institution Kabale University
issn 1423-0127
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Biomedical Science
spelling doaj-art-dbeb3dfa0b914e6a8c896f204e50406f2025-08-20T03:43:20ZengBMCJournal of Biomedical Science1423-01272025-07-0132112110.1186/s12929-025-01167-1Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targetingBo-Syong Pan0Che-Chia Hsu1Hsin-En Wu2Yuan-Ru Chen3Xiaobo Zhou4Shu-Chi Wang5Chia-Yang Li6Hui-Kuan Lin7Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of MedicineCenter for Computational Systems Medicine, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonDepartment of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of MedicineDepartment of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University School of MedicineAbstract Glucose metabolism is a pivotal hub for cellular energy production and the generation of building blocks that support cell growth, survival, and differentiation. Cancer cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to sustain rapid proliferation, survive in harsh microenvironments, and resist therapies. Beyond producing energy and building blocks to meet cancer cell demands, glucose metabolism generates numerous metabolites that serve as signaling molecules, orchestrating signaling pathways and epigenetic modifications that regulate cancer cell phenotypes and immunity. In this review, we discuss how glucose, through its metabolism and direct actions, influences diverse biological processes driving cancer progression and therapeutic resistance, while also exploring metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer for therapeutic strategies.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-025-01167-1Glucose metabolismWarburg effectTumor microenvironmentImmune regulationGlucose sensorImmunotherapy resistance
spellingShingle Bo-Syong Pan
Che-Chia Hsu
Hsin-En Wu
Yuan-Ru Chen
Xiaobo Zhou
Shu-Chi Wang
Chia-Yang Li
Hui-Kuan Lin
Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting
Journal of Biomedical Science
Glucose metabolism
Warburg effect
Tumor microenvironment
Immune regulation
Glucose sensor
Immunotherapy resistance
title Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting
title_full Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting
title_fullStr Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting
title_full_unstemmed Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting
title_short Glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation: opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting
title_sort glucose metabolism and its direct action in cancer and immune regulation opportunities and challenges for metabolic targeting
topic Glucose metabolism
Warburg effect
Tumor microenvironment
Immune regulation
Glucose sensor
Immunotherapy resistance
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-025-01167-1
work_keys_str_mv AT bosyongpan glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting
AT chechiahsu glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting
AT hsinenwu glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting
AT yuanruchen glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting
AT xiaobozhou glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting
AT shuchiwang glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting
AT chiayangli glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting
AT huikuanlin glucosemetabolismanditsdirectactionincancerandimmuneregulationopportunitiesandchallengesformetabolictargeting