Fatty acid binding protein 2 (FATP2/SLC27A2) blockade with Lipofermata elicits dual effects on inflammatory responses in human monocytes and macrophages

Abstract

Inflammatory responses often involve metabolic rewiring within immune cells to support effector functions. Targeting metabolic pathways in immune cells therefore represents a promising strategy to modulate inflammatory diseases and improve therapeutic outcomes. Acyl-CoA synthesis by fatty acid transporter 2 (FATP2/SLC27A2) facilitates the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the cell. It represents a key step in fatty acid metabolism and the subsequent production of bioactive lipid mediators (LMs) with immunoregulatory functions. While the FATP2 inhibitor Lipofermata is currently evaluated for lipid-lowering therapies in metabolic diseases, and to revert the suppressive nature of myeloid cells in cancer, its effect on inflammatory responses in human macrophages remains elusive.

Here, we show that Lipofermata reduced LPS-induced inflammatory responses in whole blood and human monocytes. This anti-inflammatory effect was paralleled by a decreased biosynthesis of arachidonic acid-derived inflammatory LMs, including prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane 2 (TxB2). These findings suggest an anti-inflammatory effect mediated by Lipofermata-mediated redirection of lipid metabolism in monocytes.

Conversely, in mature human monocyte-derived macrophages, Lipofermata treatment enhanced LPS-induced cytokine production and induced cell death, likely through inflammasome activation. Together, these results underscore the cell type-specific effects of FATP2 inhibition and highlight the dual role of Lipofermata in modulating inflammatory immune responses. As such, targeting lipid metabolism with Lipofermata could have therapeutic potential with both anti- and pro-inflammatory applications, depending on the target cell type and context.