The interaction between intracellular bacterial pathogens with the host immune response can result in multiple outcomes that range from asymptomatic clearance to the establishment of infection. At its core, these interactions result in multiple metabolic adaptations of both the pathogen and its host cell. There is growing evidence that the host metabolic response plays a key role in the development of immune responses against the invading pathogen. However, successful intracellular pathogens have developed multiple mechanisms to circumvent the host response to thrive in the intracellular compartment. Here, we provide a brief overview on the crucial role of fundamental metabolic host responses in the generation of protective immunity to intracellular bacterial pathogens and discuss some of the mechanisms used by these pathogens to exploit the host metabolic response to their own advantage. This understanding will further our knowledge in host-pathogen interactions and may provide new insights for the development of novel therapies.
Keywords: Host-pathogen interactions; Immunity; Infection; Intracellular bacteria; Metabolism.