A bibliometric analysis of metabolic reprogramming in the tumor
microenvironment from 2003 to 2022
Abstract
Despite the considerable progress achieved in the field of cancer
immunotherapy over the past few years, a large number of patients fail
to benefit from these therapies due to insufficient alteration of the
immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which facilitates the
evasion of anti-tumor immunotherapy. Metabolic reprogramming is emerging
as an important hallmark of tumorigenesis and has a major effect on
remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment and the response to cancer
immunotherapy. However, only a limited number of studies have summarized
the research trends and hotspots in metabolic reprogramming from the
perspective of tumors and immune cells. Therefore, we aimed to
comprehensively explore current research status and hot topics in
TME-related metabolic reprogramming over a 20-year period using a
bibliometric approach. Studies focusing on metabolic reprogramming and
the TME were searched from the WOSCC database. Bibliometric and visual
analyses of the included articles and reviews were performed using
Bibliometrix (R-Tool in R-Studio), VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. A total of
4726 articles published between 2003 and 2022 were selected. The
quantity of publications and citations exhibited an annual growth.
Cooperation network analysis indicated that the United States holds the
foremost position in the field of metabolic reprogramming and TME
research, having the highest volume of publications and citations, thus
exerting the greatest influence. Among the institutions, Fudan
University displayed the highest level of productivity. Regarding
publications in this field, Frontiers in Immunology emerged as the
journal with the most extensive number of contributions. Ho Ping-Chih
made the most article contributions; Pearce Edward J., was the most
co-cited author. Four clusters were obtained after clustering analysis
of the authors’ keywords with tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy,
metabolic reprogramming and glycolysis, immunometabolism and gut
microbiota, and immune and extracellular vesicles being the main topics.
Immunometabolism, glycolysis, immune cells, and tumor-associated
macrophages are relatively recent burst keywords that have attracted
increasing attention.A comprehensive landscape of advancements in
metabolic reprogramming and the TME was studied, which can provide
crucial information for scholars to further advance this promising
field. Further research should explore new topics related to
immunometabolism in the TME using a transdisciplinary approach.