{"title":"Metabolic diseases and Kupffer cell's plasticity.","authors":"Francesca Fantini, Giuseppe Danilo Norata","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000066","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>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.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 3","pages":"e00066"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12309768/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144762496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Microbial trash to metabolic treasure.","authors":"Alexander S Dowdell, Sean P Colgan","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000067","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000067","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In a recent <i>Nature</i> 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.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 3","pages":"e00067"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12278741/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144692682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Rerouting glucose metabolism of therapeutic T-cells for cancer: live longer, perform better.","authors":"Zhongyi Dong, Jianmei W Leavenworth","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000063","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A significant barrier to the success of adoptive cell therapies (ACTs) in cancer treatment is the inadequate persistence of T-cells following infusion. In vitro T-cell expansion is a crucial component of ACTs; therefore, preconditioning during culture may enhance their in vivo survival and therapeutic efficacy. Here, we discuss a recent article by Greg Delgoffe and colleagues that was published in <i>Cell Metabolism</i> in April 2025, providing evidence that pharmacologic metabolic rewiring of activated T-cells during in vitro expansion enhances their engraftment postinfusion and improves cellular immunotherapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 3","pages":"e00063"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12227206/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Macrophage respiratory complex III governs immune evasion.","authors":"Marie Anne-Catherine Neumann, Christian Frezza","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000065","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The intricate interplay between cellular metabolism and immune function has emerged as a pivotal area of research in immunology. Macrophages, as central players in the innate immune system, exhibit remarkable metabolic flexibility that influences their activation states and functional outputs, with important implications for the pathophysiology of inflammatory diseases and cancer. A recent study by Zotta and colleagues provides new insights into the role of mitochondrial complex III (CIII) in regulating the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and its implications for tumor immunity.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 3","pages":"e00065"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12227203/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144577139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"You are what you eat: autophagy guides CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell function through metabolism.","authors":"Caio Loureiro Salgado, Henrique Borges da Silva","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000064","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The differentiation of naive CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells into effector or memory populations requires dynamic remodeling of cellular metabolism and proteome composition. In a recent study published in <i>Nature Immunology</i>, Sinclair et al offer critical insights into the role of autophagy, particularly mitophagy, in regulating these processes during CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell differentiation. Autophagy, a conserved catabolic mechanism, is traditionally associated with cellular homeostasis and survival during nutrient deprivation. In contrast, Sinclair et al reveal that, in the immune system, autophagy is not simply a survival mechanism but a fine-tuned regulator of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell metabolism and function, fine-tuning CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell effector vs quiescence choices.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 3","pages":"e00064"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12199796/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144531346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"BAAT away liver cancer: conjugated bile acids impair T cell function in hepatocellular carcinoma immunotherapy.","authors":"Zachary Detwiler, Snehal N Chaudhari","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IN9.0000000000000062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this renaissance era of gene therapy, a new study published by the Susan Kaech lab in <i>Science</i> demonstrates the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to selectively deplete conjugated bile acids in the liver by targeting the bile acid-CoA:amino acid <i>N</i>-acyltransferase (<i>Baat</i>) gene to improve responsiveness to immunotherapy. This study highlights the role of conjugated bile acids in impairing intratumoral T cell function by directly accumulating in resident liver T cells and driving mitochondrial dysfunction. Knockout of <i>Baat</i> reduced hepatic conjugated bile acid production, thus improving immunotherapy potency and reducing tumor burden. Subsequently, <i>Baat</i> liver knockout reduced levels of microbially produced secondary bile acids such as lithocholic acid, a known carcinogen and T cell toxin. This study mechanistically links bile acids to liver cancer immunotherapy success, setting the stage for bile acid-based screening approaches and pharmacologic manipulations for improved patient outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 2","pages":"e00062"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12063675/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144055429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Khatereh Babakhani, Amanda L Kucinskas, Xiangcang Ye, Erin D Giles, Yuxiang Sun
{"title":"Aging immunity: unraveling the complex nexus of diet, gut microbiome, and immune function.","authors":"Khatereh Babakhani, Amanda L Kucinskas, Xiangcang Ye, Erin D Giles, Yuxiang Sun","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000061","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aging is associated with immune senescence and gut dysbiosis, both of which are heavily influenced by the diet. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the impact of diets high in fiber, protein, or fat, as well as different dietary components (tryptophan, omega-3 fatty acids, and galacto-oligosaccharides) on the immune system and the gut microbiome in aging. Additionally, this review discusses how aging alters tryptophan metabolism, contributing to changes in immune function and the gut microbiome. Understanding the relationship between diet, the gut microbiome, and immune function in the context of aging is critical to formulate sound dietary recommendations for older individuals, and these personalized nutritional practices will ultimately improve the health and longevity of the elderly.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 2","pages":"e00061"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12063687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144060271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katti R Crakes, Lauren Questell, Subah Soni, Jotham Suez
{"title":"Impacts of non-nutritive sweeteners on the human microbiome.","authors":"Katti R Crakes, Lauren Questell, Subah Soni, Jotham Suez","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/IN9.0000000000000060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Replacing sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) is a common dietary strategy for reducing the caloric content and glycemic index of foods and beverages. However, the efficacy of this strategy in preventing and managing metabolic syndrome and its associated comorbidities remains uncertain. Human cohort studies suggest that NNS contribute to, rather than prevent, metabolic syndrome, whereas randomized controlled trials yield heterogeneous outcomes, ranging from beneficial to detrimental impacts on cardiometabolic health. The World Health Organization recently issued a conditional recommendation against using NNS, citing the need for additional evidence causally linking sweeteners to health effects. One proposed mechanism through which NNS induce metabolic derangements is through disruption of the gut microbiome, a link strongly supported by evidence in preclinical models. This review summarizes the evidence for similar effects in interventional and observational trials in humans. The limited available data highlight heterogeneity between trials, as some, but not all, find NNS consumption associated with microbiome modulation as well as metabolic effects independent of sweetener type. In other trials, the lack of microbiome changes coincides with the absence of metabolic effects. We discuss the hypothesis that the impacts of NNS on health are personalized and microbiome dependent. Thus, a precision nutrition approach may help resolve the conflicting reports regarding NNS impacts on the microbiome and health. This review also discusses additional factors contributing to study heterogeneity that should be addressed in future clinical trials to clarify the relationship between NNS, the microbiome, and health to better inform dietary guidelines and public health policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 2","pages":"e00060"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12020452/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144058660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Blocking lactate: kick T cells when they are down.","authors":"Veronika Horkova, Bart Everts, Dirk Brenner","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000059","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the last couple of decades, cancer research has been shifting its focus to the immune system. Cancer cells, with their ability to adapt and evade immune responses, seem to accelerate the evolutionary pressure that has been put on our immune system during evolution. We thus try to aid these natural selection processes and assist our immune system to combat cancer. Here, we are discussing a study by Greg Delgoffe and colleagues that was published in <i>Nature Immunology</i> in December 2024, exploring a new approach to bring the dysfunctional immune cells back to life by blocking their lactate uptake.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 2","pages":"e00059"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11923681/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143671793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mitochondrial response to fever boosts T<sub>H</sub>1-driven inflammatory responses.","authors":"Gillian Dunphy, David Sancho","doi":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000058","DOIUrl":"10.1097/IN9.0000000000000058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Increased body temperature, both locally and systemically, is a key feature of the inflammatory response. Heat is associated with increased blood flow to affected areas and increased immune infiltrate, yet increased temperature has also been described to have direct effects on immune cell function. In a recent study, Heintzman, et al investigated the effect of febrile temperature (39 °C) on T cell function. They describe increased T<sub>H</sub>1 function and fitness accompanied by a decrease in regulatory T cell suppressive function. These findings add another important consequence to our understanding of fever responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":73349,"journal":{"name":"Immunometabolism (Cobham (Surrey, England))","volume":"7 2","pages":"e00058"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11905903/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143652458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}