Immunometabolism at the crossroads of infection, cancer, and autoimmunity

Metabolic pathways are not mere cellular fuel lines—they are master regulators of immune cell fate, effector function, and tolerance. This Research Topic welcomes studies that decode how glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, lipid and amino acid metabolism, and nutrient-sensing pathways (e.g., mTOR/AMPK) orchestrate immune responses across infectious diseases, cancer, and autoimmunity. We are especially interested in translational and mechanistic work that links immunometabolic circuits to clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses.

We invite contributions that illuminate how metabolic states shape T cell and macrophage differentiation and function; how hypoxia and HIF signaling sculpt immunity in inflamed tissues and tumor microenvironments; and how diet, micronutrients, and the microbiome reprogram immune metabolism. Studies that reveal actionable metabolic checkpoints, propose or validate immunometabolic biomarkers, or test metabolic interventions to tune immunity for therapy are strongly encouraged.

Topics of Interest
-T cell and macrophage metabolism in health and disease
-Metabolic checkpoints and nutrient-sensing pathways (e.g., mTOR, AMPK, SREBP, HIF)
-Immunometabolic biomarkers and correlates of clinical response
-Diet, micronutrients, and microbiome-mediated metabolic reprogramming
-Hypoxia/HIF pathways in infection, cancer, and autoimmunity
-Metabolic remodeling in the tumor microenvironment and chronic inflammation
-Therapeutic targeting of metabolism to modulate immune responses

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Immunometabolism:, Metabolic checkpoints, Tumor microenvironment, Hypoxia/HIF signaling, Translational biomarkers

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.