Itaconate: a dual-edged sword in immunometabolism and host-pathogen interactions.

Yani Li, Haojie Zhang, Zhiwei Shen, Kunning Wang, Jie Luo, Junhan Zhou, Ruizhi Zhu, Yuting Jiang, Yan Zhang

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Archives of microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yani LiInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Haojie ZhangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Zhiwei ShenInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Kunning WangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Jie LuoInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Junhan ZhouInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Ruizhi ZhuInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Yuting JiangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.

Yan ZhangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China. zhangyan@usc.edu.cn.

Funding

National and Provincial Undergraduates Innovation Experimental Program S202510555189;S202510555478

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Itaconate (ITA), a tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-derived immunometabolite produced mainly by activated macrophages and other myeloid cells (e.g., neutrophils) through immune-responsive gene 1 (IRG1)/aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1), links host metabolism with immune regulation and antimicrobial defense. Initially recognized as an anti-inflammatory metabolite, ITA regulates immune responses through antioxidant signaling, lysosomal activation, inflammasome modulation, and metabolic remodeling. However, emerging evidence reveals context-dependent immunomodulatory effects across different cellular and tissue environments. ITA plays a dual role in host-pathogen interactions by regulating host immune responses while simultaneously serving as a metabolic interface between host defense and bacterial survival. Host-derived ITA restricts pathogens by targeting conserved metabolic enzymes, biosynthetic pathways, and redox homeostasis, whereas bacteria counteract ITA stress through enzymatic degradation, metabolic rewiring, stress adaptation, biofilm formation, and interference with ITA availability. This review summarizes recent advances in ITA-mediated immunometabolic regulation and highlights the reciprocal metabolic competition shaping host-pathogen interactions.

Indexed as

Host-Pathogen InteractionsSuccinatesAnimalsBacteriaCarboxy-LyasesHumansMacrophagesACOD1 protein, humanCarboxy-Lyasesitaconic acidSuccinatesHost-pathogen interactionsImmunometabolismInflammatory responseIRG1/ACOD1Itaconate

Identifiers

PMID42878874

DOI10.1038/s41598-021-97352-x

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.