Fig. 8: Metabolic reprogramming associated with influenza infection in subcutaneous adipose tissue (in vivo) and in preadipocytes (in vitro).

a Transcriptome analysis of the subcutaneous (SCAT) and the visceral (EWAT) adipose tissues from mock-treated and IAV-infected mice revealed activation of the STAT1-dependent-IFN-mediated signaling pathway and the concomitant inhibition of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathways in both SCAT and EWAT. IAV infection was associated with rewired energy metabolism only in the SCAT, as reflected by activation of the sirtuin signaling pathway and inhibition of glycolysis, OXPHOS, and TCA cycle. This was associated with a white-to-brown phenotypic change of the SCAT. b In vitro IAV infection of preadipocytes and adipocytes led to activation of the IFN signaling pathways in both cell types. In preadipocytes only, IAV infection rewired cell metabolism through activation of the SGOC metabolic pathway. This was associated with the induction of a brown-like/beige genetic program in preadipocytes. OXPHOS = oxidative phosphorylation, ETC = electron transport chain, SGOC metabolism = serine-glycine-one-carbon metabolism. Activated and inhibited pathways are indicated in red and blue, respectively. Top upstream regulators are indicated in brackets.