Lipid metabolism and metabolites: emerging roles in systemic physiology and metabolic diseases

Lipids function as central regulators of cellular and systemic physiology through their roles in energy storage, membrane architecture, signaling, and nutrient transport. Maintaining lipid metabolic balance is essential, as its disruption underlies a broad spectrum of metabolic and metabolic-related disorders, including fatty liver disease, obesity, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and infections. Recent studies have uncovered roles for phospholipids, sphingolipids, lipid-related metabolites, and lipoproteins as metabolic modulators in regulating disease development or mediating inter-organ communication. In this review, we summarize emerging insights into lipid metabolism and metabolite function, with an emphasis on their contribution to the pathogenesis of diseases. We further highlight how these discoveries reshape our understanding of lipid biology and open new avenues for therapeutic intervention.