The emerging role of microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids in immunometabolism, 2022, Jasim et al

Highlights

• Immunometabolism paves the way for innovative therapeutic interventions to modulate immune cells via immune metabolic alterations.
• SCFAs impact immunity, cellular function, and immune cell fate.

• The manipulation of the gut microbiota might promote favorable metabolite-producing microbes.

• SCFAs, through modifying cell metabolism, can boost or inhibit immune cell function.

• SCFAs might directly reduce low-grade inflammatory responses in obesity via influencing intestinal microbiota.

Abstract

The accumulating evidence revealed that microbiota plays a significant function in training, function, and the induction of host immunity. Once this interaction (immune system–microbiota) works correctly, it enables the production of protective responses against pathogens and keeps the regulatory pathways essential for maintaining tolerance to innocent antigens. This concept of immunity and metabolic activity redefines the realm of immunometabolism, paving the way for innovative therapeutic interventions to modulate immune cells through immune metabolic alterations. A body of evidence suggests that microbiota-derived metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate, play a key role in immune balance. SCFAs act on many cell types to regulate various vital biological processes, including host metabolism, intestinal function, and the immune system. Such SCFAs generated by gut bacteria also impact immunity, cellular function, and immune cell fate. This is a new concept of immune metabolism, and better knowledge about how lifestyle affects intestinal immunometabolism is crucial for preventing and treating disease. In this review article, we explicitly focus on the function of SCFAs in the metabolism of immune cells, especially macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells (DCs), B cells, T (Th) helper cells, and cytotoxic T cells (CTLs).

Paywall, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567576922004672

 

My ME has responded to several species of longer-chained fatty acids. Palmitic made me feel worse unless I also consumed enough carnitine. CLAs improved my sleep. I haven't read anything to indicate that longer-chained FAs get broken down into shorter ones, so that's probably not how they had their effect on me. I think it's more likely that they alter cell membranes. Maybe the ratios of different FAs present when a cell is created (or maintained?) changes transport capacity of flexibility or some other such function. I suppose this applies to sub-cellular structures too, such as exosomes or those fine filamentary structures.

Complex stuff. Good that someone is looking into it.