M2 macrophages and tumor cells engage in a metabolic feedback loop to drive HCC progression.

ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant global health challenge due to its molecular heterogeneity and the immunosuppressive nature of its tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), particularly the M2-polarized subset, are crucial in HCC progression, contributing to immune evasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. However, the mechanisms driving TAM reprogramming and their metabolic interactions within the TME remain poorly understood. In this study, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics to identify a novel metabolic-immune axis in HCC. Our findings revealed increased oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in tumor cells, which correlated with enhanced ribosomal activity in M2 macrophages, suggesting a metabolic coup

SUBMITTER: Nong Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12644919 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature