Crosstalk between the tumor microenvironment and tumor cells through exosomes: Roles in tumor metabolism and progression

Tumor proliferation, metabolism, metastasis, and chemoresistance are intimately related to the tumor microenvironment (TME). The metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells is a hallmark of their adaptation to hypoxic and nutrient-deficient TMEs. Exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicle, have been found to regulate the crosstalk between tumor cells and the TME, affecting tumor metabolic reprogramming. In this review, we introduce the metabolic characteristics of tumor cells; describe the crosstalk between tumor cells and the TME in terms of glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism through exosomes; and provide an overview of the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of exosomes. A better understanding of tumor metabolism would provide a broader perspective about the mechanisms underlying tumor pathology and would facilitate the search for therapeutic targets and guide more individualized tumor treatment.