Nanomaterial-Mediated Metabolic Modulation of Immune Responses: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives
- 1Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
- 2Department of Stomatology, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Dysregulated immune responses drive the onset and progression of inflammatory, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases. Emerging evidence identifies cellular metabolism as a central regulatory hub of immune responses, where it not only meets the bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of immune cells but also generates metabolites that shape their fate and function. Nanomaterials have long been explored as modulators of immune responses, yet most studies have focused primarily on cytokines and classical signaling pathways. Consequently, how nanomaterials shape immune responses through metabolic pathways remains relatively underexplored. Emerging evidence has recently identified metabolism as a critical axis through which nanomaterials can modulate immune responses, supporting a shift from conventional immune modulation toward integrated immune–metabolic regulation. Their tunable size, charge, and surface chemistry allow nanomaterials to interact with intracellular organelles such as mitochondria, thus altering the local metabolic flux. In this review, we summarize the current progress in nanomaterial-mediated immunometabolic regulation, focusing on major metabolic pathways including glycolysis, lipid metabolism, the TCA cycle, and OXPHOS, through which nanomaterials modulate immune cell activation, differentiation, and cytokine production. Finally, we highlight how the metabolism-modulating capacity of nanomaterials provides opportunities for the rational design of biomaterials targeting immune metabolism, with therapeutic potential for inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026nanomaterialmediated,
title = {{Nanomaterial-Mediated Metabolic Modulation of Immune Responses: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives}},
author = {Hongyan Zhang and Bichong Luo and Huimin Tao and Zhongshuang Liu and Qi Li and Peijia Zheng and Haiyun Luo and Wenjing Liu},
journal = {International Journal of Nanomedicine},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.2147/ijn.s648420},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s648420},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Nanomaterial-Mediated Metabolic Modulation of Immune Responses: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives
AU - Hongyan Zhang
AU - Bichong Luo
AU - Huimin Tao
AU - Zhongshuang Liu
AU - Qi Li
AU - Peijia Zheng
AU - Haiyun Luo
AU - Wenjing Liu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - International Journal of Nanomedicine
DO - 10.2147/ijn.s648420
UR - https://doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s648420
AB - Dysregulated immune responses drive the onset and progression of inflammatory, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases. Emerging evidence identifies cellular metabolism as a central regulatory hub of immune responses, where it not only meets the bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of immune cells but also generates metabolites that shape their fate and function. Nanomaterials have long been explored as modulators of immune responses, yet most studies have focused primarily on cytokines and classical signaling pathways. Consequently, how nanomaterials shape immune responses through metabolic pathways remains relatively underexplored. Emerging evidence has recently identified metabolism as a critical axis through which nanomaterials can modulate immune responses, supporting a shift from conventional immune modulation toward integrated immune–metabolic regulation. Their tunable size, charge, and surface chemistry allow nanomaterials to interact with intracellular organelles such as mitochondria, thus altering the local metabolic flux. In this review, we summarize the current progress in nanomaterial-mediated immunometabolic regulation, focusing on major metabolic pathways including glycolysis, lipid metabolism, the TCA cycle, and OXPHOS, through which nanomaterials modulate immune cell activation, differentiation, and cytokine production. Finally, we highlight how the metabolism-modulating capacity of nanomaterials provides opportunities for the rational design of biomaterials targeting immune metabolism, with therapeutic potential for inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
SN - 1176-9114
SN - 1178-2013
ER -