Cells and soluble mediators of the innate and adaptive immune systems are fundamental components of the tumor microenvironment. Nuclear factors, e.g.
transcription factors (TFs) and
oncoproteins/
cancer suppressors, play important roles in controlling
cytokine functions leading to the development, maintenance and
metastasis of
cancers. Studies focusing on the regulators of the pro-tumorigenic microenvironment are particularly pertinent to early diagnosis and potential development of targeted
cancer therapeutics. This review is motivated by new insights into the molecular dynamics of ubiquitination and SUMOylation, which post-translationally modify
tumor suppressor TFs, leading to initiation and progression of various
cancers like prostate, colorectal, liver and breast
cancers. These modification pathways are differentially modulated under various stimuli or stresses in order to sustain the oncogenic potentials. We deliberate on the vicious cycle of
infection and chronic
inflammation-driven processes of ubiquitination and SUMOylation, resulting in the imbalance in
cytokine profiles in the pro-tumorigenic microenvironment.