3-Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier-mediated metabolism is dispensable for the classical activation of macrophages. Mus musculus

Glycolysis is essential for the classical activation of macrophages (M1), but how glycolytic pathway metabolites engage in this process remains to be elucidated. Glycolysis culminates in the production of pyruvate, which can be transported into the mitochondria by the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) followed by conversion to citrate and utilization in the TCA cycle. Alternatively, pyruvate can be metabolized to lactate under aerobic conditions, which had been considered to be the dominant route in the setting of classical macrophage activation.

糖酵解对巨噬细胞（M1型）的经典活化至关重要，但糖酵解通路的代谢产物如何参与这一过程仍有待阐明。糖酵解的终产物为丙酮酸，该物质可通过线粒体丙酮酸载体（mitochondrial pyruvate carrier, MPC）转运至线粒体，随后转化为柠檬酸并参与三羧酸循环（tricarboxylic acid cycle, TCA cycle）。除此之外，丙酮酸在有氧条件下可代谢为乳酸，这一途径曾被认为是巨噬细胞经典活化时的主要通路。