Lipid metabolism and neutrophil function

Abstract

Neutrophils are an essential part of the innate immune system, playing a critical role in the control of infectious diseases, maintenance of tissue homeostasis and regulation of tumorigenesis. However, their functional importance has often been overlooked due to the conception that they are short-lived and unable to proliferate. Recent studies indicate that the functions of neutrophils are diverse and can be influenced by cellular metabolisms, including that governing lipid homeostasis. Here, we review how lipids, especially lipid droplets, in neutrophils are dynamically regulated in different pathophysiological contexts, with a specific focus on the key regulators involved in lipid metabolism. We also describe how alterations in lipid metabolism are intertwined with different signaling pathways orchestrating neutrophil functions during pathogen defense, tissue repair and tumor metastasis.

Keywords: Immunometabolism; Lipid droplets; Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs); Neutrophils; Tumor metastasis.