Metabolic Dysregulation Impairs Lymphocyte Function During Severe Sars-Cov-2 Infection

Authors

Sanjeev Gurshaney
Anamaria Morales-Alvarez
Kevin Ezhakunnel
Andrew Manalo
Thien-Huong Huynh
Jun-Ichi Abe
Nhat-Tu Le
Daniela Weiskopf
Alessandro Sette
Daniel S Lupu
Stephen J Gardell
Hung Nguyen

Publication Date

4-7-2023

Journal

Communications Biology

Abstract

Cellular metabolic dysregulation is a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection that is a key determinant of disease severity. However, how metabolic perturbations influence immunological function during COVID-19 remains unclear. Here, using a combination of high-dimensional flow cytometry, cutting-edge single-cell metabolomics, and re-analysis of single-cell transcriptomic data, we demonstrate a global hypoxia-linked metabolic switch from fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial respiration towards anaerobic, glucose-dependent metabolism in CD8+Tc, NKT, and epithelial cells. Consequently, we found that a strong dysregulation in immunometabolism was tied to increased cellular exhaustion, attenuated effector function, and impaired memory differentiation. Pharmacological inhibition of mitophagy with mdivi-1 reduced excess glucose metabolism, resulting in enhanced generation of SARS-CoV-2- specific CD8+Tc, increased cytokine secretion, and augmented memory cell proliferation. Taken together, our study provides critical insight regarding the cellular mechanisms underlying the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on host immune cell metabolism, and highlights immunometabolism as a promising therapeutic target for COVID-19 treatment.

Keywords

Humans, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, COVID-19 Drug Treatment

Comments

Supplementary Materials

PMID: 37029220