Reprogramming of Central Carbon Metabolism in Myeloid Cells upon Innate Immune Receptor Stimulation

Immunometabolism is a relatively new field of research that aims at understanding interconnections between the immune system and cellular metabolism. This is now well-documented for innate immune cells of the myeloid lineage such as macrophages and myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) when they engage their differentiation or activation programs. Several studies have shown that stimulation of DCs or macrophages by the binding of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) leads to increased glycolytic activity and rewiring of central carbon metabolism. These metabolic modulations are essential to support and settle immunological functions by providing energy and immunoregulatory metabolites. As the understanding of molecular mechanisms progressed, significant differences between cell types and species have also been discovered. Pathways leading to the regulation of central carbon metabolism in macrophages and DCs by PRR signaling and consequences on cellular functions are reviewed here.