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Fuel feeds function: energy metabolism and the T-cell response
Casey J Fox1, Peter S Hammerman, Craig B Thompson
1Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Nature Reviews. Immunology
|October 22, 2005
Summary
T cells use environmental nutrients for energy to proliferate and fight pathogens. Proper metabolic signaling is crucial for T cell survival and function, preventing deletion or unresponsiveness.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cellular metabolism
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Antigen receptor ligation triggers lymphocyte proliferation and effector functions.
- Co-stimulatory signals enable extracellular nutrient utilization for immune cell energy.
- Growth factors regulate metabolic switching between lymphocyte resting and proliferative states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review how T cells acquire metabolic substrates.
- To explain the role of metabolism in T cell responses to pathogens.
- To highlight the bioenergetic demands of lymphocyte activation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of T cell metabolism and immune responses.
- Analysis of signaling pathways regulating lymphocyte metabolism.
- Discussion of nutrient acquisition strategies by T cells.
Main Results:
- T cells actively acquire metabolic substrates to meet energy demands.
- Failure to increase metabolism leads to T cell deletion or unresponsiveness.
- Metabolic reprogramming is essential for effective immune responses.
Conclusions:
- T cell activation is tightly linked to metabolic adaptation.
- Environmental nutrient availability influences T cell function and fate.
- Understanding T cell metabolism is key to optimizing immune responses against pathogens.