Beyond ATP: Lipid-Driven Plasticity and the Immunometabolism of ILC2s

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Abstract
Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are tissue-resident immune cells that play a central role in type 2 immunity. Beyond cytokine signaling, they integrate inputs from lipids, nutrients, neuroendocrine mediators, and local metabolic cues, establishing cellular metabolism as a key regulator of their function. Immunometabolism provides a framework to understand how ILC2s adapt to diverse tissue environments such as the lung, adipose tissue, gut, skin, and brain, each defined by distinct nutrient availability, oxygen tension, and inflammatory conditions. Unlike many immune cells that primarily rely on glycolysis, ILC2s dynamically balance glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation (FAO), and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) depending on activation state and tissue context. Lipids not only serve as energy substrates but also regulate membrane organization, lipid raft–dependent signaling, and the generation of bioactive mediators, including eicosanoids, oxysterols, and sphingolipids. Emerging evidence linking cholesterol biosynthesis, steroid metabolism, and sphingolipid signaling to ILC2 function underscores the importance of lipid-dependent immune regulation. Dysregulation of these pathways contributes to chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma, metabolic disorders, and fibrosis. Targeting metabolic pathways and checkpoints may therefore offer new strategies to modulate ILC2-driven pathology. This review summarizes current insights into metabolic programs governing ILC2 activation, survival, and plasticity and highlights emerging therapeutic opportunities.
Funding Information
  • National Institutes of Health (R01 HL144790)
  • National Institutes of Health (R01 HL151493)
  • National Institutes of Health (R01 AI145813)
  • National Institutes of Health (R01 AI169687)
  • National Institutes of Health (R01 16 HL151769)
  • National Institutes of Health (R01 HL159804)

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