Acetate metabolism

Acetate metabolism refers to the collection of cellular processes that involve the generation, utilization, and regulation of acetate, a short-chain fatty acid that is both an end product of gut microbial fermentation and an intermediate in host metabolic pathways[1][3]. Acetate is typically activated to acetyl-CoA by acyl-CoA short-chain synthetase enzymes such as ACSS1 (mitochondrial) and ACSS2 (cytosolic/nuclear), and this acetyl-CoA then enters diverse cellular fates including energy production via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, lipid biosynthesis, and protein acetylation that can regulate epigenetic and signaling events[1][3]. Acetate levels and metabolism are tightly regulated, interconnected with nutritional state, stress, and disease, and may play important roles in widely varying physiological and pathological states, most notably in cancer metabolism and metabolic disease[1][3][4]. However, "acetate metabolism" itself is not a single discrete druggable entity, but rather a systemic and enzymatically distributed process.

Other names

Acetate utilizationAcetate pathwayAcetyl-CoA metabolismAcetic acid metabolism