Solute carrier transporters in tumor metabolism and tumor immunity

Research on solute carrier transporters (SLCs) has become a well-established field, revealing the functional roles of these proteins in cancer biology. SLC transporters are transmembrane proteins that typically contain 7 to 12 transmembrane domains and mediate numerous essential functions, including transport of metabolites (such as glucose, amino acids, and lipids), signal transduction, immune cell interaction, and regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis. The expression of SLC transporters shows tissue, disease, and spatiotemporal specificity, and accumulating evidence indicates that SLC transporters are closely associated with pathological conditions, particularly tumor prognosis. Given their phylogenetic or species conservation, tumor tissue-specific expression, and potential to target specific pathways, SLC transporters hold promise as biomarkers for tumor diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. SLC transporters play significant roles in tumor metabolism and tumor immunity, affecting not only tumor cells but also immune components of the tumor microenvironment, such as T cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages. In this review, we thoroughly examine the functions of SLCs in tumor metabolism immunity and tumor immunity, highlighting their impact on metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells and immune cell function within the tumor microenvironment. We also provide an overview of the SLC structure, SLC pharmacology, and recent advances in anticancer therapies targeting SLCs, particularly those with clinical efficacy. Finally, we discuss current challenges in the field of SLC transporters and propose future research directions.