• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.9
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• pp.400-416
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• 2024

Matricellular proteins are integral non-structural components of the extracellular matrix. They serve as essential modulators of immunometabolism and tissue homeostasis, playing critical roles in physiological and pathological conditions. These extracellular matrix proteins including thrombospondins, osteopontin, tenascins, the secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) family, the Cyr61, CTGF, NOV (CCN) family, and fibulins have multi-faceted functions in regulating immune cell functions, metabolic pathways, and tissue homeostasis. They are involved in immune-metabolic regulation and influence processes such as insulin signaling, adipogenesis, lipid metabolism, and immune cell function, playing significant roles in metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, their modulation of tissue homeostasis processes including cellular adhesion, differentiation, migration, repair, and regeneration is instrumental for maintaining tissue integrity and function. The importance of these proteins in maintaining physiological equilibrium is underscored by the fact that alterations in their expression or function often coincide with disease manifestation. This review contributes to our growing understanding of these proteins, their mechanisms, and their potential therapeutic applications.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.292-300
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• 2019

Immunometabolism, defined as the interaction of metabolic pathways with the immune system, influences the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases. Metformin and carbon monoxide (CO) are two pharmacological agents known to ameliorate metabolic disorders. There are notable similarities and differences in the reported effects of metformin and CO on immunometabolism. Metformin, an anti-diabetes drug, has positive effects on metabolism and can exert anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects via adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent and AMPK-independent mechanisms. CO, an endogenous product of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), can exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects at low concentration. CO can confer cytoprotection in metabolic disorders and cancer via selective activation of the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK) pathway. Both metformin and CO can induce mitochondrial stress to produce a mild elevation of mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) by distinct mechanisms. Metformin inhibits complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), while CO inhibits ETC complex IV. Both metformin and CO can differentially induce several protein factors, including fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and sestrin2 (SESN2), which maintain metabolic homeostasis; nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a master regulator of the antioxidant response; and REDD1, which exhibits an anticancer effect. However, metformin and CO regulate these effects via different pathways. Metformin stimulates p53- and AMPK-dependent pathways whereas CO can selectively trigger the PERK-dependent signaling pathway. Although further studies are needed to identify the mechanistic differences between metformin and CO, pharmacological application of these agents may represent useful strategies to ameliorate metabolic diseases associated with altered immunometabolism.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.46.1-46.13
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• 2020

Neutrophils are innate immune cells that constitute the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Due to this characteristic, they are exposed to diverse immunological environments wherein sources for nutrients are often limited. Recent advances in the field of immunometabolism revealed that neutrophils utilize diverse metabolic pathways in response to immunological challenges. In particular, neutrophils adopt specific metabolic pathways for modulating their effector functions in contrast to other immune cells, which undergo metabolic reprogramming to ensure differentiation into distinct cell subtypes. Therefore, neutrophils utilize different metabolic pathways not only to fulfill their energy requirements, but also to support specialized effector functions, such as neutrophil extracellular trap formation, ROS generation, chemotaxis, and degranulation. In this review, we discuss the basic metabolic pathways used by neutrophils and how these metabolic alterations play a critical role in their effector functions.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.49.1-49.15
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• 2020

C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) regulates the trafficking of various immune cells to sites of infection. In this study, we showed that expression of CCR5 and its ligands was rapidly increased in the kidney after systemic Candida albicans infection, and infected CCR5^-/- mice exhibited increased mortality and morbidity, indicating that CCR5 contributes to an effective defense mechanism against systemic C. albicans infection. The susceptibility of CCR5^-/- mice to C. albicans infection was due to impaired fungal clearance, which in turn resulted in exacerbated renal inflammation and damage. CCR5-mediated recruitment of NK cells to the kidney in response to C. albicans infection was necessary for the anti-microbial activity of neutrophils, the main fungicidal effector cells. Mechanistically, C. albicans induced expression of IL-23 by CD11c⁺ dendritic cells (DCs). IL-23 in turn augmented the fungicidal activity of neutrophils through GM-CSF production by NK cells. As GM-CSF potentiated production of IL-23 in response to C. albicans, a positive feedback loop formed between NK cells and DCs seemed to function as an amplification point for host defense. Taken together, our results suggest that CCR5-mediated recruitment of NK cells to the site of fungal infection is an important step that underlies innate resistance to systemic C. albicans infection.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.360-372
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• 2019

Macrophages play an essential role not only in mediating the first line of defense but also in maintaining tissue homeostasis. In response to extrinsic factors derived from a given tissue, macrophages activate different functional programs to produce polarized macrophage populations responsible for inducing inflammation against microbes, removing cellular debris, and tissue repair. However, accumulating evidence has revealed that macrophage polarization is pivotal in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndromes and cancer, as well as in infectious and autoimmune diseases. Recent advances in transcriptomic and metabolomic studies have highlighted the link between metabolic rewiring of macrophages and their functional plasticity. These findings imply that metabolic adaption to their surrounding microenvironment instructs activation of macrophages with functionally distinct phenotypes, which in turn probably leads to the pathogenesis of a wide spectrum of diseases. In this review, we have introduced emerging concepts in immunometabolism with focus on the impact on functional activation of macrophages. Furthermore, we have discussed the implication of macrophage plasticity on the pathogenesis of metabolic syndromes and cancer, and how the disease microenvironment manipulates macrophage metabolism with regard to the pathophysiology.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.259-266
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• 2022

Recent studies have revealed that the immune system plays a critical role in various physiological processes beyond its classical pathogen control activity. Even under a sterile condition, various cells and tissues can utilize the immune system to meet a specific demand for proper physiological functions. Particularly, a strong link between immunity and metabolism has been identified. Studies have identified the reciprocal regulation between these two systems. For example, immune signals can regulate metabolism, and metabolism (cellular or systemic) can regulate immunity. In this review, we will summarize recent findings on this reciprocal regulation between immunity and metabolism, and discuss potential biological rules behind this interaction with integrative perspectives.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.26.1-26.19
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• 2024

Recent advancements in various technologies have shed light on the critical role of metabolism in immune cells, paving the way for innovative disease treatment strategies through immunometabolism modulation. This review emphasizes the glucose metabolism of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), an emerging pivotal immunosuppressive factor especially within the tumor microenvironment. MDSCs, an immature and heterogeneous myeloid cell population, act as a double-edged sword by exacerbating tumors or mitigating inflammatory diseases through their immune-suppressive functions. Numerous recent studies have centered on glycolysis of MDSC, investigating the regulation of altered glycolytic pathways to manage diseases. However, the specific changes in MDSC glycolysis and their exact functions continue to be areas of ongoing discussion yet. In this paper, we review a range of current findings, including the latest research on the alteration of glycolysis in MDSCs, the consequential functional alterations in these cells, and the outcomes of attempts to modulate MDSC functions by regulating glycolysis. Ultimately, we will provide insights into whether these research efforts could be translated into clinical applications.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.4-9
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• 2018

Cancer metabolism as a field of research was founded almost 100 years ago by Otto Warburg, who described the propensity for cancers to convert glucose to lactate despite the presence of oxygen, which in yeast diminishes glycolytic metabolism known as the Pasteur effect. In the past 20 years, the resurgence of interest in cancer metabolism provided significant insights into processes involved in maintenance metabolism of non-proliferating cells and proliferative metabolism, which is regulated by proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors in normal proliferating cells. In cancer cells, depending on the driving oncogenic event, metabolism is re-wired for nutrient import, redox homeostasis, protein quality control, and biosynthesis to support cell growth and division. In general, resting cells rely on oxidative metabolism, while proliferating cells rewire metabolism toward glycolysis, which favors many biosynthetic pathways for proliferation. Oncogenes such as MYC, BRAF, KRAS, and PI3K have been documented to rewire metabolism in favor of proliferation. These cell intrinsic mechanisms, however, are insufficient to drive tumorigenesis because immune surveillance continuously seeks to destroy neo-antigenic tumor cells. In this regard, evasion of cancer cells from immunity involves checkpoints that blunt cytotoxic T cells, which are also attenuated by the metabolic tumor microenvironment, which is rich in immuno-modulating metabolites such as lactate, 2-hydroxyglutarate, kynurenine, and the proton (low pH). As such, a full understanding of tumor metabolism requires an appreciation of the convergence of cancer cell intrinsic metabolism and that of the tumor microenvironment including stromal and immune cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.292-300
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• 2021

Macrophages residing in various tissue types are unique in terms of their anatomical locations, ontogenies, developmental pathways, gene expression patterns, and immunological functions. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) reside in the alveolar lumen of the lungs and serve as the first line of defense for the respiratory tract. The immunological functions of AMs are implicated in the pathogenesis of various pulmonary diseases such as allergic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), viral infection, and bacterial infection. Thus, the molecular mechanisms driving the development and function of AMs have been extensively investigated. In this review article, we discuss the roles of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β in AM development, and provide an overview of the anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory functions of AMs in various contexts. Notably, we examine the relationships between the metabolic status of AMs and their development processes and functions. We hope that this review will provide new information and insight into AM development and function.