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Updated: Sep 10, 2025

Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies
Published on: September 13, 2024
Innate Immunity Reimagined: Metabolic Reprogramming as a Gateway to Novel Therapeutics
Chuan-Han Deng1, Chen-Tong Wang1, Xin Zhou2
1Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine (University of Macau) (MQCM), University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macao SAR, China.
Abstract:
The interplay between cellular metabolism and innate immunity critically shapes the body's ability to fight infections, repair tissue, and manage stress. Metabolic reprogramming not only drives innate immune activation but also regulates the resolution of inflammation. Phenotypes of immune cell are closely linked to metabolic shifts that adapt to varying energy demands. However, the precise relationship between perturbations in the cellular respiratory-metabolic axis and the inflammatory response remains a critical field of investigation. In depth understanding of key metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, NADPH oxidase activity, mitochondrial ROS production, TCA cycle metabolites, and cGAS-STING/AIM2 inflammasome activation, is essential to unravel the complexities of innate immunity. This article highlights the central role of metabolic reprogramming mainly in innate immunity and explores its potential as a therapeutic target for modulating inflammatory response.
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