생화학분자생물학회

	Jung Min Han (jhan74@yonsei.ac.kr)
	2002-2008	Principal Investigator, Imagene, Co. Ltd.
	2008-2011	Research assistant professor, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University
	2011-2013	Research associate professor, Medicinal Bioconvergence Research Center, Seoul National University
	2011-2013	Principal Investigator/Drug Screening group leader, Medicinal Bioconvergence Research Center, Seoul National University
	2015-2017	Bioconvergence major chair, Integrated Science and Engineering Field, Underwood International College, Yonsei University
	2013-2020	Associate professor, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University
	2013-2020	Associate professor, WCU Integrated OMICS for Biomedical Science, Yonsei University
	2020-present	Professor, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University
	2020-present	Professor, WCU Integrated OMICS for Biomedical Science, Yonsei University
	2024-present	Professor, Department of Integrated Biotechnology, Yonsei University
	2021-2025	Affiliate faculty, POSTECH Biotech Center, POSTECH
	2024-2026	Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University
	2026-present	Head, Graduate Program in Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Yonsei University

Metabolic networks in the tumor microenvironment: roles of amino acid and lipid metabolism pathways in cancer progression and therapy

Metabolic rewiring, a defining hallmark of cancer, sustains cell proliferation and biosynthesis while coordinating adaptive interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recent advances reveal that metabolism in the TME-comprising stromal, immune and endothelial components forms a complex metabolic network in which intercellular competition, cooperation and plasticity profoundly influence tumor progression and therapeutic responses. Here we integrate emerging evidence on the organizational principles of amino acid and lipid metabolism within the TME, emphasizing how nutrient fluxes shape immune evasion, therapeutic resistance and metabolic symbiosis. We highlight key mechanisms through which cancer and nonmalignant cells engage in reciprocal nutrient manipulation, focusing on glutamine, arginine, tryptophan, branched-chain amino acids and lipids. The dual roles of these metabolites in immune regulation and tumor growth reveal the limitations of traditional single-pathway targeting and advocate for a network-centric therapeutic approach. We further discuss how metabolite-derived signaling and epigenetic regulation reinforce cell state transitions and immune suppression. Current and emerging therapeutic strategies, including multitarget combinations and immune-metabolic synergies, are evaluated alongside translational challenges. Finally, we underscore the need for spatial metabolomics, liquid biopsy platforms and artificial intelligence-driven modeling to map nutrient competition and cooperative exchange within the TME, offering new opportunities for precision metabolic interventions.

Exp Mol Med. 2026 Apr;58(4):1128-1148. doi: 10.1038/s12276-026-01697-0
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41826648/