Metabolic rewiring promotes anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38600378/)

These scientists wanted to understand how a type of medication called glucocorticoids works to reduce inflammation in the body. They found that glucocorticoids can change the way cells in our body called macrophages use energy from mitochondria, which are like the powerhouses of cells. By changing the metabolism of these cells, the medication helps them produce a special substance called itaconate that can reduce inflammation. The scientists discovered that glucocorticoids interact with certain parts of the cells to increase their activity and speed up a process called the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which leads to more itaconate being produced. This itaconate then helps to stop the cells from releasing inflammatory signals.

When they blocked this process in experiments, the anti-inflammatory effects of the medication were not as strong. This research is important because it gives us new insights into how these medications work and could help scientists develop better treatments for inflammatory diseases in the future.

Auger JP., Zimmermann M., Faas M., Stifel U., Chambers D., Krishnacoumar B., Taudte RV., Grund C., Erdmann G., Scholtysek C., Uderhardt S., Ben Brahim O., Pascual Mate M., Stoll C., Bottcher M., Palumbo-Zerr K., Mangan MSJ., Dzamukova M., Kieler M., Hofmann M., Bluml S., Schabbauer G., Mougiakakos D., Sonnewald U., Hartmann F., Simon D., Kleyer A., Gruneboom A., Finotto S., Latz E., Hofmann J., Schett G., Tuckermann J., Kronke G. Metabolic rewiring promotes anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. Nature. 2024 May;629(8010):184-192. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07282-7. Epub 2024 Apr 10.