大脑是一个高度代谢的器官，由多种细胞类别组成，控制着身体的关键功能。尽管神经元传统上是主角，但星形胶质细胞在过去十年中受到了极大的关注。在这方面，星形胶质细胞是一种神经胶质细胞，最近成为中枢神经系统（CNS）功能的关键调节因子，并在维持大脑能量代谢方面发挥着重要作用。然而，在某些情况下，星形胶质细胞的行为可能会出错，这对大脑的完整性和功能构成重大威胁。对于将正常星形胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞前体转变为神经胶质瘤（一种侵袭性脑肿瘤）的突变来说，情况确实如此。此外，健康的星形胶质细胞可以与肿瘤细胞相互作用，成为肿瘤微环境的一部分并影响疾病进展。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了最近的证据，表明星形胶质细胞代谢紊乱可能导致癌症等致命人类疾病的发生和进展。重点是详细介绍这种疾病的分子基础和代谢途径，并强调独特的代谢脆弱性，这些脆弱性有可能被用来开发成功的治疗机会。版权所有 © 2023 作者。由爱思唯尔公司出版。保留所有权利。

The brain is a highly metabolic organ, composed of multiple cell classes, that controls crucial functions of the body. Although neurons have traditionally been the main protagonist, astrocytes have gained significant attention over the last decade. In this regard, astrocytes are a type of glial cells that have recently emerged as critical regulators of central nervous system (CNS) function and play a significant role in maintaining brain energy metabolism. However, in certain scenarios, astrocyte behavior can go awry, which poses a significant threat to brain integrity and function. This is definitively the case for mutations that turn normal astrocytes and astrocytic precursors into gliomas, an aggressive type of brain tumor. In addition, healthy astrocytes can interact with tumor cells, becoming part of the tumor microenvironment and influencing disease progression. In this review, we discuss the recent evidence suggesting that disturbed metabolism in astrocytes can contribute to the development and progression of fatal human diseases such as cancer. Emphasis is placed on detailing the molecular bases and metabolic pathways of this disease and highlighting unique metabolic vulnerabilities that can potentially be exploited to develop successful therapeutic opportunities.Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.