In the ongoing conflict between eukaryotic cells and pathogens, lipid droplets (LDs) emerge as a choke point in the battle for nutrients. While many pathogens seek the lipids stored in LDs to fuel an expensive lifestyle, innate immunity rewires lipid metabolism and weaponizes LDs to defend cells and animals. Viruses, bacteria, and parasites directly and remotely manipulate LDs to obtain substrates for metabolic energy, replication compartments, assembly platforms, membrane blocks, and tools for host colonization and/or evasion such as anti-inflammatory mediators, lipoviroparticles, and even exosomes. Host LDs counterattack such advances by synthesizing bioactive lipids and toxic nucleotides, organizing immune signaling platforms, and recruiting a plethora of antimicrobial proteins to provide a front-line defense against the invader. Here, we review the current state of this conflict. We will discuss why, when, and how LDs efficiently coordinate and precisely execute a plethora of immune defenses. In the age of antimicrobial resistance and viral pandemics, understanding innate immune strategies developed by eukaryotic cells to fight and defeat dangerous microorganisms may inform future anti-infective strategies.

中文翻译：

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脂滴和宿主-病原体动态：致命吸引力？

在真核细胞和病原体之间持续不断的冲突中，脂滴（LD）成为营养争夺战中的一个瓶颈。虽然许多病原体寻找 LD 中储存的脂质来维持昂贵的生活方式，但先天免疫会重新连接脂质代谢，并将 LD 武器化以保护细胞和动物。病毒、细菌和寄生虫直接远程操纵LD以获得代谢能量的底物、复制区室、组装平台、膜块以及宿主定植和/或逃避的工具，例如抗炎介质、脂质病毒颗粒，甚至外泌体。宿主LD通过合成生物活性脂质和有毒核苷酸、组织免疫信号平台以及招募大量抗菌蛋白来提供针对入侵者的前线防御，从而反击这些进步。在这里，我们回顾一下这场冲突的现状。我们将讨论 LD 为何、何时以及如何有效协调和精确执行大量免疫防御。在抗菌素耐药性和病毒大流行的时代，了解真核细胞为对抗和击败危险微生物而开发的先天免疫策略可能会为未来的抗感染策略提供信息。