EDITORIAL

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01280-x OPEN Shining a spotlight on immunometabolism ✉ Shuai Jiang1

The of immune cells is a rapidly developing field with therapeutic implications. In recognition of this exciting area, our journal is welcoming submissions of primary research articles, perspectives, comments, and review articles in immunometabolism with the aim to highlight these 1234567890():,; articles in a special collection.

etabolism has recently bolites and enzymes of the TCA cycle and become the hub connect- glycolysis within each memory immune cell ing several rapidly grow- subset. In addition, new insights into meta- ing research areas, bolism in immune-mediated pathological Mincluding cancer, hemato- diseases, such as atherosclerosis, would poietic stem cell , and cellular advance the development of the immune development1–3. Indeed, there is currently metabolic biomarkers and potential clinical a keen interest in cellular reprogramming applications in cardiovascular . of different immune cell subpopulations Recent evidence indicates that specifi- and in understanding the functional role of cally targeting host metabolic reprogram- metabolic factors—key enzymes, metabo- ming might provide the host with defenses lites and nutrient transporters—in various to fight environmental challenges such as immune cell subsets in our biology com- pathogen infections. For instance, targeting munity. These exciting topics are com- glutaminolysis has been suggested to reg- monly described under the term ulate proinflammatory cytokine produc- immunometabolism. tion and immune cell infiltration upon One of the most infection4. What are the molecular exciting areas in mechanisms underpinning immune- We at Communications Biology immunometabolism is mediated pathologies? Can we target spe- fi are welcoming submissions on regarding memory ci c metabolic pathways in various immune cell sub- immune cell subsets to clinically halt dis- immunometabolism as part of populations (e.g., ease? These issues are worthy aims for germinal center inde- future research. Uncovering the answers to a special collection to be pendent memory B all these questions might guide the devel- cells, T-bet memory B opment of immunometabolism-based published in 2021. cells, central memory therapies in future. As I know from my T cells, and tissue resi- laboratory research activities on micro- dent memory T cells), which are thought to RNAs in immunometabolism, further exert their functional roles by adjusting studies of metabolic alterations by micro- diverse metabolic programs. Further stu- RNAs in the context of different immune dies are warranted to dissect the functional cell subsets are a potential hot topic in this roles and molecular mechanisms of meta- exciting area.

✉ 1 Department of Microbiology and , Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA. email: [email protected]

COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY | (2020) 3:554 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01280-x | www.nature.com/commsbio 1 EDITORIAL COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01280-x

Call for papers in immunometabolism coding RNAs in regulation of immuno- 3. Youssef, K. K. & Nieto, M. A. Glucose metabolism High-quality articles in the areas immu- metabolism; however, we will also consider takes center stage in epithelial-mesenchymal 53 – nology and metabolism have already found other areas of immunometabolism. Papers plasticity. Dev. Cell , 133 135 (2020). 4. Mayer, K. A., Stöckl, J., Zlabinger, G. J. & their home in Communications Biology will be published as they are ready and Gualdoni, G. A. Hijacking the supplies: since it was launched in early 2018. We combined into a special collection once a metabolism as a novel facet of virus-host have been serving as a harbor for immu- majority have been published. We will interaction. Front Immunol. 10, 1533 (2019). nologists, endocrinologists and scientists consider all submissions related to immu- 5. The wide world of biology in 2019. Commun. 3 – who study metabolism. As illustrated by nometabolism submitted by March 15, Biol. ,1 2 (2020). our journal’s name, communication 2021 for the collection. We hope this spe- between biologists is what we envisioned to cial collection will benefit scientists who Open Access This article is licensed accomplish when we launched our journal. are interested in the state-of-the-art under a Creative Commons Attribution Following this in our heart, our in-house research on immune responses and cel- 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, editors and external editorial board mem- lular metabolic reprogramming. adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium bers will keep working hard to provide a or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the home for scientists who advance this original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the exciting area by publishing new findings Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were fi made. The images or other third party material in this that are relevant to the eld. article are included in the article’s Creative Commons 5 We at Communications Biology are license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the welcoming submissions on immunometa- material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative bolism as part of a special collection to be References Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you published in 2021. We especially encourage 1. Ramadori, P., Li, X. & Heikenwalder, M. PKCλ/ι will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright submissions related to metabolic enzymes loss induces metabolic reprogramming in liver holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http:// cancer: hitting two birds with one stone? Cancer in innate/adaptive immune responses, creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. nutrient transporters in immune cell acti- Cell 38, 152–154 (2020). 2. Jiang, S. APA makes a short cut for ramping up vation, metabolites as immunological reg- 26 – HSC metabolism. Cell Stem Cell , 615 616 © The Author(s) 2020 ulators, strategies targeting metabolism to (2020). modulate immune responses, and non-

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