Spatial Immunometabolism: Integrating Technologies to Decode Cellular Metabolism in Tissues

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Metabolomics
• Systems Biology

Background:

• Immune cell function is regulated by their metabolism.
• Cell-intrinsic metabolic regulation is influenced by the tissue environment, especially in tumors.
• Heterogeneous factors like nutrient gradients and hypoxia in tumors impact immune cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review technological advances in spatially resolved immunometabolism analysis.
• To emphasize multimodal integration and cancer as a model system.
• To highlight the shift from studying dissociated cells to intact tissue contexts.

Main Methods:

• Mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI, DESI) for metabolite visualization.
• High-resolution platforms like Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS).
• Vibrational imaging techniques such as Raman microscopy.
• Integration with transcriptomic and proteomic data.
• Development of computational models for data integration.

Main Results:

• Technologies enable direct visualization of metabolites within tissue.
• Transcriptomics and proteomics infer metabolic states.
• Multimodal data integration is advancing.
• Spatial immunometabolism analysis is transforming the field.

Conclusions:

• Spatial immunometabolism analysis provides insights into immune regulation in health and disease.
• Technological advancements are crucial for understanding immune cell metabolism in complex environments.
• Overcoming challenges in resolution, annotation, and integration is key for future progress.