IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Macrophage metabolic reprogramming facilitates viral entry and pyroptosis

Macrophage metabolic reprogramming facilitates viral entry and pyroptosis

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Sarah Cahill presented research showing that SARS-CoV-2 reprograms macrophage metabolism to increase itaconate, activating TLR2, NRF2, and P62 signaling to induce the scavenger receptor MARCO. MARCO helps the virus enter macrophages, leading to pyroptotic cell death, inflammation, and worse lung disease. Interferon-beta blocks this pathway, and TRIM21 helps suppress MARCO induction. MARCO was found in human COVID-19 samples and linked to disease severity. In mice, blocking MARCO reduced viral load and improved survival, suggesting MARCO is a promising host target to limit severe respiratory virus infection.

Meta Tag

Date April 17, 2026 8:15 AM - 8:30 AM

Room 104AB

Session Cytokines and Inflammation in Antiviral Immunity

Speaker Sara Cahill

Track Viral Immunology (VIR)

Year 2026

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2

macrophage metabolism

MARCO receptor

pyroptosis

interferon-beta

April 17, 2026 8:15 AM - 8:30 AM

104AB

Cytokines and Inflammation in Antiviral Immunity

Sara Cahill

Viral Immunology (VIR)

2026