At the heart of mitochondrial metabolism is the electron transport chain (ETC). When a person eats a meal, the sugars and fats the body obtains by breaking it down provide energy for the ETC and its multiprotein complexes. These complexes assume several forms, named by scientists as I, II, III, and IV. Supercomplexes within the ETC provide structural stability and system efficiency, and these groupings also play a large role in metabolic changes during a bacterial invasion.
When a macrophage recognizes live bacteria and starts sending signals to the rest of the immune system that there is an intruder, the scientists saw in their studies that there is also a temporary reduction of supercomplexes associated with complex I in the mitochondria of these macrophages, while the respiratory activity is elevated. At the same time, various signaling pathways are activated by oxidative molecules, and then the pathways lead to the regulation of complex II activity. In this situation, complex II then promotes the release of immune signals called cytokines and other metabolites, which boost other parts of the immune response, enhancing the body’s ability to hone in on a bacterial invasion.
Scientists from the study believe that bacterial RNA and other unique factors that stimulate the immune system could be a way to learn more about creating more effective vaccines and therapies by improving the redirection of energy from metabolism that allows the immune system to focus on fighting the infection.
Source: CNIC