The burgeoning arena of immunometabolism provides evidence of how cellular, as well as local (tissue)/systemic metabolic pathways, are playing an important role in controlling immunity and inflammation. An intricate and elaborate network of various metabolic circuits specifically glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation and synthesis and amino acid metabolism precisely generate metabolites that rewire the immune response. Psoriasis is a chronic progressive self-perpetuated “IL-17-centric” inflammatory disease characterized by the co-existence of autoimmune and autoinflammatory pathways. Metabolic responses, governed by oxygen levels, nutrient availability, growth factors, cytokines, AMP/ATP ratios and amino acids, play a pivotal role in programming Th17 cell fate determination. Understanding the intricate interactions and complex interplay of molecular mechanisms responsible for Th17 cell metabolic rewiring, an important determinant of Th17 cell plasticity and heterogeneity, holds the potential to reshape psoriatic therapeutics in ways currently unimagined. This chapter entails with most recent updates on major cellular and systemic metabolic pathways regulating differentiation of Th17 cells as well their cross-talk with intracellular signaling mediators and also sheds light on how dysregulation of these pathways can be responsible for immune impairment and development of psoriatic disease. A better understanding of these metabolic processes could unveil an intriguing leverage point for therapeutic interventions to modulate metabolic programming and Th17 cell responses in this multi-systemic inflammatory disease.
Part of the book: Psoriasis