Metabolism of myeloid cells in brain tumors

Abstract

Primary and recurrent brain tumors are aggressive malignancies with high mortality rates and limited treatment options. Glioblastoma (GBM) in particular are largely refractory to immunotherapies despite harboring a significant proportion of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Increasing evidence suggests that the immunosuppressive TME in brain tumors is driven by functional and metabolic reprogramming of resident and infiltrating myeloid cells. Here, we examine the determinants of immunometabolic landscape in brain tumors and distinct features of heterogeneous myeloid cell populations. We discuss how interactions between cell types and metabolic programs shape spatial niches. We further dissect the effect of tumor stage, type and therapy in informing metabolic features of the TME. Collectively, this systematic review provides an overview of myeloid cell metabolism in brain tumors and highlights potential opportunities for future studies targeting metabolic states for cancer immunotherapy.

Keywords: MDSC; brain metastasis; brain tumor; glioblastoma; immunometabolism; macrophage; metabolism; microglia.