A new publication from our CRC reveals how obesity affects the metabolism and function of immune cells in adipose tissue.

The researchers show that a high-fat diet and obesity suppress acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) in adipose group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). ACC1 is essential for maintaining cellular metabolism, including citrate shuttling and the NAD⁺/NADH balance.

Deletion of ACC1 in ILC2 mimics obesity impairing ILC2 maintenance, differentiation and function, ultimately promoting adipose tissue hypertrophy and inflammation. The study further shows that supplementation with the NAD⁺ precursor nicotinamide riboside can restore ILC2 function and adipose tissue homeostasis in ACC1-deficient mice.

The findings highlight how immune cell metabolism contributes to metaflammation and demonstrate why the metabolic requirements of immune cells need to be considered when targeting adipose tissue metabolism.

The study was published in Cell Metabolism: https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(26)00371-2

Read more about the study in the UKB press release: https://www.ukbnewsroom.de/auswirkungen-von-adipositas-entschluesselt/

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Copyright header image: University Hospital Bonn (UKB) / Aljoscha Mismas

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