Interplay between lipid metabolism, lipid droplets and RNA virus replication

Abstract

Lipids play essential roles in the cell as components of cellular membranes, signaling molecules, and energy storage sources. Lipid droplets are cellular organelles composed of neutral lipids, such as triglycerides and cholesterol esters, and are also considered as cellular energy reserves, yet new functions have been recently associated with these structures, such as regulators of oxidative stress and cellular lipotoxicity, as well as modulators of pathogen infection through immune regulation. Lipid metabolism and lipid droplets participate in the infection process of many RNA viruses and control their replication and assembly, among others. Here, we review and discuss the contribution of lipid metabolism and lipid droplets over the replication cycle of RNA viruses, altogether pointing out potentially new pharmacological antiviral targets associated with lipid metabolism.

Keywords:

• RNA virus infections
• lipid metabolism
• neutral lipids
• lipid droplets

Author contributions

All authors wrote and reviewed the manuscript. MAF, BDV and PAG designed the figures and tables.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interest to declare.

Data deposition

This article does not create or analyse new data, therefore no data sets were deposited.

Data availability statement

Data sharing does not apply to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this review.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by ANID-Millennium Science Initiative Program: Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy under grant number ICN2021_045 (former ACE2021, ICN09_016 and P09/016-F); Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID) FONDECYT grants #1190864, #1190830, #1231851; FONDEF grant #ID22l10252 and the Regional Government of Antofagasta through the Innovation Fund for Competitiveness FIC-R 2017 [BIP Code: 30488811-0]. MAF and BDV are ANID fellows #21191390 and #21221163, respectively.