Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))最新文献

Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) derived from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), particularly D-series resolvins (RvD1, RvD2, RvD3, and RvD5), function to terminate inflammation while preserving host defense. They are synthesized from DHA by lipoxygenases and act through G‑protein‑coupled receptors and lipid‑sensing transcription factors (TFs). These mediators reprogram macrophage metabolism towards fatty‑acid oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation, accelerate efferocytosis, and promote tissue repair. Here, we synthesize current knowledge on their biosynthesis, receptor signaling, and immunometabolic rewiring within macrophages, and critically appraise their therapeutic potential across cardiometabolic, musculoskeletal, autoimmune, and ischemia/reperfusion disorders. We also discuss analytical controversies surrounding their in vivo low‑abundance detection, and outline translational challenges including short half‑life, formulation stability, and emerging synthetic agonists. Finally, we propose priority research directions, from single-cell spatial lipidomics to clinical translation, to define the next frontier for resolvin-based immunotherapies.

Obesity during pregnancy not only affects maternal health but also puts offspring at high risk of obesity and of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases later in life, often regardless of their own lifestyle choices. This process, known as developmental programming, is increasingly being recognized as a critical factor shaping long-term health outcomes. In addition, a growing body of research highlights the importance of immunometabolism, the metabolism of immune cells, in the pathogenesis of obesity, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Although the effects of maternal obesity on offspring health have been well documented in both epidemiological studies and preclinical models, its influence on the developing immune system and immunometabolic pathways is only beginning to be revealed. In this review, we explore the metabolic and inflammatory dimensions of developmental programming and discuss how an adverse maternal environment may shape the offspring's immunometabolic landscape.

Cellular metabolism is crucial for energy production, which regulates cell function and survival. In recent years, the importance of metabolism in modulating immune cell proliferation, differentiation, and function has become a prominent area of research. However, little is still known about the metabolic regulation of B cell function and humoral immunity, both in healthy individuals as well as in those with various conditions and diseases. In this viewpoint, we will discuss the current understanding of immunometabolic regulation of humoral responses in aging people living with HIV, and in people without HIV. We propose the possibility to target metabolic molecules and pathways to prevent the negative effects of aging and HIV and progress towards an overall better immune system, not only in individuals with HIV but also in those living with other inflammatory conditions and diseases.

Background: Immunometabolism has emerged as a flourishing field exploring how cellular metabolism regulates immune responses. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have so far been the primary sample type used for immunometabolic profiling. However, PBMCs isolation requires large blood volumes, can pose logistic challenges, and requires specialized skills for processing. Thus, using whole blood (WB) samples, which are less technically challenging to process, could serve as a viable alternative for metabolic characterization of circulating immune cell populations. Yet, how well WB immunometabolic profiles match those from PBMCs remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to compare the immunometabolic profile of WB with that of PBMCs.

Method: Paired WB and PBMCs samples were collected from six healthy donors. WB was collected in CryoStor^®-CS10 medium, while PBMCs were isolated using Ficoll density gradient. Using spectral flow cytometry, we identified immune cell populations and assessed their metabolic states.

Results: Our findings show an overall high similarity in the immune cell subset frequencies between WB and PBMCs as well as their metabolic profiles. However, differences in the expression of certain metabolic markers were noted in some immune populations. Specifically, glucose transporter 1 levels were higher in CD8⁺ TEMRA, NKT, and NK cells from PBMCs, while ATP5a levels were higher in naïve CD4⁺ T cells from WB.

Conclusions: These results suggest that WB can be an alternative to PBMCs for metabolic profiling of immune cells. Nevertheless, for some specific cell subsets, caution should be taken when comparing immunometabolic data between WB and PBMCs.

Most chronic diseases including coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and multiple neurodegenerative diseases are driven by dysregulated lipid metabolism. In fact, many common drugs taken by millions including aspirin, statins, fibrates, and others improve health by reorganizing systemic lipid metabolism. Although we have a wealth of information on the enzymes and pathways maintaining lipid metabolic homeostasis in our human cells, there is much less known in regard to how our gut microbiome may coordinate with the host to control systemic lipid metabolism. With advances in untargeted metabolomics, there is a rapidly expanding list of gut microbe-derived lipid metabolites with unannotated function. Many of these bacterial lipids can be assimilated into host lipids and alter host lipid metabolic processes. Here, we discuss how gut microbe-derived lipids may be further metabolized by the host through metaorganismal metabolic pathways. We also discuss the untapped therapeutic potential for targeting metaorganismal lipid metabolism for the improvement of human health.

The discovery of itaconate as an immunoregulatory metabolite has transformed the field of immunometabolism and opened multiple therapeutic avenues over the past decade. While the immunological functions of itaconic acid have been extensively studied, several aspects of its biochemistry-particularly in vivo utilization pathways-have remained unclear. In a recent study published in Nature Metabolism, Willenbockel et al apply carbon tracing to uncover the metabolic fate of itaconate within the organism. Insights from this work have important implications for understanding the physiological roles of itaconate and for advancing itaconate-based therapeutic strategies.

The emerging field of immunometabolism has underscored the central role of metabolic pathways in orchestrating immune cell function. Far from being passive background processes, metabolic activities actively regulate key immune responses. Fundamental pathways such as glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation critically shape the behavior of immune cells, influencing macrophage polarization, T cell activation, and dendritic cell function. In this review, we synthesize recent advances in immunometabolism, with a focus on the metabolic mechanisms that govern the responses of both innate and adaptive immune cells to bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. Drawing on experimental, computational, and integrative methodologies, we highlight how metabolic reprogramming contributes to host defense in response to infection. These findings reveal new opportunities for therapeutic intervention, suggesting that modulation of metabolic pathways could enhance immune function and improve pathogen clearance.

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation in adipose tissue, primarily driven by macrophages, plays a central role in obesity pathophysiology. C1q/TNF-related protein 6 (CTRP6), a member of the CTRP family, has emerged as a key regulator of this inflammatory process. Here, we demonstrate that CTRP6 expression is upregulated in adipose tissue macrophages during obesity, where it acts as a potent modulator of macrophage polarization by suppressing M2 polarization.

Methods: In RAW264.7 macrophages, we distinguished M1 and M2 polarization, induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) + interferon-gamma (IFNγ) and interleukin (IL)-4, respectively, by selecting two marker genes for each polarization type from a set of five widely used markers, based on a time-course analysis. We then assessed the effects of recombinant CTRP6 protein treatment on M1 and M2 polarization. Finally, we validated our findings in primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs).

Results: In naïve RAW264.7 macrophages, recombinant CTRP6 protein upregulated M1 marker genes (Tnf, Nos2) while downregulating M2 markers (Mrc1, Pparg). During M1 polarization induced by LPS+IFNγ, CTRP6 treatment had no significant effect. However, during IL-4-induced M2 polarization, CTRP6 not only enhanced M1 markers but also strongly suppressed M2 markers by inhibiting anti-inflammatory signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) signaling and relieving the inhibition of pro-inflammatory ERK1/2 signaling. Additionally, CTRP6 impaired mitochondrial activity, favoring glycolysis in macrophages. Importantly, these effects were serum-independent and confirmed in BMDMs.

Conclusions: Since endogenous CTRP6 expression in BMDMs is upregulated by M1 polarization inducers, it may further hinder inflammation resolution, even in the presence of IL-4 during tissue repair, establishing it as a key driver of adipose tissue inflammation in obesity.

Macrophages play a crucial role in the innate immune system. They are present in most tissues, where they contribute to maintain homeostasis. Kupffer cells have specialized immunometabolic functions that link immune regulation and metabolic homeostasis directly. This enables them to regulate hepatic metabolism by controlling lipid handling and inflammatory responses. Consequently, there is growing interest in developing strategies to selectively modulate the function, polarity, distribution, behavior, and phenotype of Kupffer cells depending on the pathophysiological context. Given their plasticity and contribution to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), it is of increasing interest to find strategies that can selectively modulate Kupffer cell's plasticity to control their distribution and phenotype depending on the pathophysiological context. This would modify their interaction with other cells in the liver niche, particularly hepatocytes, in the context of both atherosclerosis and MASLD. Future perspectives should focus on understanding how changes in the uptake capacity of Kupffer cells occur under conditions of lipid overload, and on exploring paracrine signals within the liver that can modulate their activation using advanced techniques such as high resolution spatial liver profiling.

In a recent Nature publication, Lesbats et al uncover the molecular fate of phagocytosed bacterial contents. The authors observed incorporation of bacterial biomolecules (amino acids, metabolites) into those of the host macrophage through stable isotope labeling and mass spectrometry. Further, the authors found that the state of the phagocytosed bacteria, living or dead, dramatically alters the macrophage's metabolic program toward either a pro-inflammatory or a "recycling" direction, respectively. This commentary summarizes these findings and further discusses the implications of this work in a broader sense.