Metabolic Homeostasis of Immune Cells Modulates Cardiovascular Diseases

Recent investigations into the mechanisms underlying inflammation have highlighted the pivotal role of immune cells in regulating cardiac pathophysiology. Notably, these immune cells modulate cardiac processes through alternations in intracellular metabolism, including glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, whereas the extracellular metabolic environment is changed during cardiovascular disease, influencing function of immune cells. This dynamic interaction between immune cells and their metabolic environment has given rise to the novel concept of "immune metabolism". Consequently, both the extracellular and intracellular metabolic environment modulate the equilibrium between anti- and pro-inflammatory responses. This regulatory mechanism subsequently influences the processes of myocardial ischemia, cardiac fibrosis, and cardiac remodeling, ultimately leading to a series of cardiovascular events. This review examines how local microenvironmental and systemic environmental changes induce metabolic reprogramming in immune cells and explores the subsequent effects of aberrant activation or polarization of immune cells in the progression of cardiovascular disease. Finally, we discuss potential therapeutic strategies targeting metabolism to counteract abnormal immune activation.