Immunometabolism at the Crossroads of Infection: Mechanistic and Systems-Level Perspectives from Host and Pathogen

TL;DR

This review explores how metabolic pathways regulate immune cell functions during infections, highlighting recent advances and potential therapeutic targets in immunometabolism.

Contribution

It synthesizes recent experimental and computational findings on immunometabolism, emphasizing mechanisms that influence immune responses to various pathogens.

Findings

Metabolic reprogramming is crucial for immune cell activation.

Modulating metabolic pathways can enhance host defense.

Systems-level approaches reveal new therapeutic opportunities.

Abstract

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 (TCA) 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.