Caveolin-1 in oncogenic metabolic symbiosis.

Metabolic phenotypes of cancer cells are heterogeneous and flexible as a tumour mass is a hurriedly evolving system capable of constant adaptation to oxygen and nutrient availability. The exact type of cancer metabolism arises from the combined effects of factors intrinsic to the cancer cells and factors proposed by the tumour microenvironment. As a result, a condition termed oncogenic metabolic symbiosis in which components of the tumour microenvironment (TME) promote tumour growth often occurs. Understanding how oncogenic metabolic symbiosis emerges and evolves is crucial for perceiving tumorigenesis. The process by which tumour cells reprogram their TME involves many mechanisms, including changes in intercellular communication, alterations in metabolic phenotypes of TME cells, and rearrangement of the extracellular matrix. It is possible that one molecule with a pleiotropic effect such as Caveolin-1 may affect many of these pathways. Here, we discuss the significance of Caveolin-1 in establishing metabolic symbiosis in TME. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.