Immunometabolic interference between cancer and COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Immunometabolism
• Oncology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Cancer patients face higher risks for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• Mechanisms linking cancer, metabolic disorders, and COVID-19 severity remain unclear.
• Immunometabolic pathways may offer insights into cancer patient vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify immunometabolic pathways common to cancer and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• To investigate how cancer influences the immune and metabolic status of COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a combined flow cytometry and multiomics approach.
• Analyzed circulating myeloid and lymphoid immune cell subsets.
• Assessed tryptophan metabolites, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels, and cytokine expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Main Results:

• COVID-19 cancer patients showed altered immune cell frequencies and activation.
• Observed depletion of tryptophan and tryptamine, accumulation of kynurenines, and low NAD+ availability.
• PBMCs displayed downregulated IL-6 and upregulated IFNγ mRNA expression.

Conclusions:

• Cancer exacerbates the metabolic dysregulation in COVID-19 patients.
• Impaired NAD+-dependent immune homeostasis contributes to increased COVID-19 severity in cancer patients.
• Findings highlight the critical role of immunometabolism in cancer patient outcomes during the pandemic.