Metabolic regulation of the tumour and its microenvironment: The role of Epstein-Barr virus
Published in International Journal of Cancer, 2024
Shen-Han Lee 1,2,*, Alan Soo-Beng Khoo 3,4, John R Griffiths 5, Norhafiza Mat Lazim 1,2*
1 Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
2 Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
3 School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
4 Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
5 Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
* Corresponding authors: shen-han.lee@cantab.net and norhafiza@usm.my
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the first identified human tumour virus, infects over 95% of the individuals globally and has the potential to induce different types of cancers. It is increasingly recognised that EBV infection not only alters cellular metabolism, contributing to neoplastic transformation, but also utilises several non-cell autonomous mechanisms to shape the metabolic milieu in the tumour microenvironment (TME) and its constituent stromal and immune cells. In this review, we explore how EBV modulates metabolism to shape the interactions between cancer cells, stromal cells, and immune cells within a hypoxic and acidic TME. We highlight how metabolites resulting from EBV infection act as paracrine factors to regulate the TME, and how targeting them can disrupt barriers to immunotherapy.
Keywords: EBV‐associated malignancies; Epstein–Barr virus; nasopharyngeal cancer; tumour metabolism; tumour microenvironment.
DOI: 10.1002/ijc.35192
Copyright © 2024 Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
Recommended citation: Lee SH, Khoo ASB, Griffiths JR, Mat Lazim N. (2024). "Metabolic regulation of the tumour and its microenvironment: The role of Epstein-Barr virus." International Journal of Cancer. 156(3):488-498.
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