Fueling the fight against cancer: Exploring the impact of branched-chain amino acid catalyzation on cancer and cancer immune microenvironment

Metabolism of Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) is essential for the nutrient necessities in mammals. Catalytic enzymes serve to direct the whole-body BCAAs oxidation which involve in the development of various metabolic disorders. The reprogrammed metabolic elements are also responsible for malignant oncogenic processes, and favor the formation of distinctive immunosuppressive microenvironment surrounding different cancers. The impotent immune surveillance related to BCAAs dysfunction is a novel topic to investigate. Here we focus on the BCAA catalysts that contribute to metabolic changes and dysregulated immune reactions in cancer progression. We summarize the current knowledge of BCAA catalyzation, highlighting the interesting roles of BCAA metabolism in the treatment of cancers.