Immune homeostasis is indispensable for the body to maintain health. The failure of immune homeostasis has been shown in some inflammatory diseases and cancers. For example, sufferers of Crohn's disease have over-activated immune responses, which cause the body's immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract. Recent studies indicate that cellular metabolism plays a key role in supporting immune cell development and function. For example, during T cell activation, T cells reprogram their metabolic pathways from fatty acid ß-oxidation and pyruvate oxidation to the aerobic glycolysis, pentose-phosphate pathway (PPP), and glutaminolytic pathways. This metabolic reprogramming is indispensable to support the highly proliferative and biosynthetic phenotype of T cells.
Glucose metabolism is the major energy source of pro-inflammatory immune cells. The dramatic increase of hexose uptake and metabolism is one of the most critical steps in the activation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Aerobic glycolysis has been proven to be specifically required for effector T cell differentiation and effector cytokine production in T cells. Furthermore, glucose may also affect immune responses through metabolism-independent mechanisms. A couple of studies have shown that a high glucose intake may exacerbate autoimmunity and enhance inflammation through the induction of Th17 cells and the alteration of gut microbiota. On the other hand, mannose, a C-2 epimer of glucose, can suppress inflammation by targeting Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address the most recent updates on the role of hexose intake and hexose metabolism in immune homeostasis and inflammation, and to find potential clinical applications by targeting diet sugar and hexose metabolism. We will consider Original Research, Review, Mini-Review, Systematic Reviews, Clinical Trial, and Hypothesis and Theory articles that cover, but are not limited to, the following subtopics:
1. Roles of hexose transport and metabolism in immune cell differentiation, function and plasticity.
2. Changes in hexose transport and metabolism in immune cells in inflammatory disease and cancer.
3. The effects of high and low hexose intake in inflammatory disease development and treatment.
4. Manipulations of hexose transport and metabolism in immune cells to treat disease.
5. The effects of systemic abnormal hexose metabolism, as seen in disorders such as obesity or diabetes, in immune response regulation.
6. Novel therapeutic approaches to rebuild immune homeostasis by targeting hexose metabolism.
Immune homeostasis is indispensable for the body to maintain health. The failure of immune homeostasis has been shown in some inflammatory diseases and cancers. For example, sufferers of Crohn's disease have over-activated immune responses, which cause the body's immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract. Recent studies indicate that cellular metabolism plays a key role in supporting immune cell development and function. For example, during T cell activation, T cells reprogram their metabolic pathways from fatty acid ß-oxidation and pyruvate oxidation to the aerobic glycolysis, pentose-phosphate pathway (PPP), and glutaminolytic pathways. This metabolic reprogramming is indispensable to support the highly proliferative and biosynthetic phenotype of T cells.
Glucose metabolism is the major energy source of pro-inflammatory immune cells. The dramatic increase of hexose uptake and metabolism is one of the most critical steps in the activation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Aerobic glycolysis has been proven to be specifically required for effector T cell differentiation and effector cytokine production in T cells. Furthermore, glucose may also affect immune responses through metabolism-independent mechanisms. A couple of studies have shown that a high glucose intake may exacerbate autoimmunity and enhance inflammation through the induction of Th17 cells and the alteration of gut microbiota. On the other hand, mannose, a C-2 epimer of glucose, can suppress inflammation by targeting Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address the most recent updates on the role of hexose intake and hexose metabolism in immune homeostasis and inflammation, and to find potential clinical applications by targeting diet sugar and hexose metabolism. We will consider Original Research, Review, Mini-Review, Systematic Reviews, Clinical Trial, and Hypothesis and Theory articles that cover, but are not limited to, the following subtopics:
1. Roles of hexose transport and metabolism in immune cell differentiation, function and plasticity.
2. Changes in hexose transport and metabolism in immune cells in inflammatory disease and cancer.
3. The effects of high and low hexose intake in inflammatory disease development and treatment.
4. Manipulations of hexose transport and metabolism in immune cells to treat disease.
5. The effects of systemic abnormal hexose metabolism, as seen in disorders such as obesity or diabetes, in immune response regulation.
6. Novel therapeutic approaches to rebuild immune homeostasis by targeting hexose metabolism.