Polyamines and eIF5A Hypusination Modulate Mitochondrial Respiration and Macrophage Activation (Cell Metabolism)

Puleston et al. show that polyamine biosynthesis modulates mitochondrial metabolism through eIF5A hypusination (eIF5AH). They find that inhibiting the polyamine-eIF5A-hypusine pathway blocks OXPHOS-dependent macrophage alternative activation, while leaving aerobic glycolysis-dependent macrophage classical activation intact. These results might have implications for therapeutically controlling macrophage activation by targeting the polyamine-eIF5A-hypusine axis.