Natural killer (NK) cells are being used effectively as a potential candidate in
tumor immunotherapy. However, the migration and transport of NK cells to solid
tumors is inadequate. NK cell dysfunction,
tumor invasiveness, and
metastasis are associated with altered metabolism of NK cells in the
liver cancer microenvironment. However, in
liver cancers, metabolic impairment of NK cells is still not understood fully. Evidence from various sources has shown that the interaction of NK cell's immune checkpoints with its metabolic checkpoints is responsible for the regulation of the development and function of these cells. How immune checkpoints contribute to metabolic programming is still not fully understood, and how this can be beneficial needs a better understanding, but they are emerging to be incredibly compelling to rebuilding the function of NK cells in the
tumor. It is expected to represent a potential aim that focuses on improving the efficacy of
therapies based on NK cells for treating
liver cancer. Here, the recent advancements made to understand the NK cell's metabolic reprogramming in
liver cancer have been summarized, along with the possible interplay between the immune and the metabolic checkpoints in NK cell function. Finally, an overview of some potential metabolic-related targets that can be used for
liver cancer therapy treatment has been presented.