Fighting tumors with glycolysis

Engineered T cells, a critical focus of genetic engineering for anti-tumor immunity, are genetically modified to optimize their anti-cancer efficacy, which is crucial in oncology treatments. Like all cells, T cells rely on glucose metabolism via glycolysis for energy production. Upon activation, they increase glucose transporter expression to bolster glucose uptake, pivotal for sustaining their function. However, being solitary in the bloodstream limits their access to glucose compared to cells in vascularized tissues. Furthermore, acidic tumor microenvironments, rich in lactic acid, hinder T cell glycolysis. In an article in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, Prof. Cyrille Cohen and colleagues propose enhancing T cells' glycolytic capacity through genetic adaptations. Their study involves co-expressing glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) in human T cells. This approach aims to augment T cell activity, as evidenced by improved performance and therapeutic potential observed compared to controls.