Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 11, 2026
06:51
Manufacturing Chimeric Antigen Receptor CAR T Cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy
Published on: December 17, 2019
16.0K
Obesity induced T cell dysfunction and implications for cancer immunotherapy
Ethan G Aguilar1, William J Murphy2
1Department of Dermatology, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA.
Current Opinion in Immunology
|April 15, 2018
Summary
Obesity impairs T cell function by altering metabolism, increasing cancer risk and affecting immunotherapy outcomes. Understanding these metabolic links is crucial for improving cancer treatments.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolism
- Oncology
Background:
- Obesity is linked to increased cancer risk and immune dysfunction.
- Metabolism significantly regulates immune cell function, particularly T cells.
- Obesity creates a metabolic environment that can impair T cell responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent findings on T cell biology and obesity.
- To explore mechanisms of T cell dysfunction in obesity.
- To discuss implications for cancer immunotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of T cell biology and obesity research.
- Focus on metabolic regulation of T cells.
- Analysis of obesity-induced metabolic changes impacting T cells.
Main Results:
- Obesity-induced metabolic changes directly impact T cell function.
- Dysfunctional T cells in obesity may compromise anti-cancer immunity.
- Metabolic pathways are key targets for T cell modulation.
Conclusions:
- Obesity-associated immune dysfunction, particularly in T cells, is driven by metabolic alterations.
- Targeting metabolic pathways in T cells may enhance cancer immunotherapy efficacy in obese patients.
- Further research into obesity-T cell metabolism interactions is needed for therapeutic advancements.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
1.4K
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
1.4K
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
2.0K
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
2.0K
01:51Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
7.0K
Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
7.0K
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
269
In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
269
01:13Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
28.1K
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different types of cells. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are post-mitotic—that is, they no longer divide. However, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they “de-differentiate” and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are also pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are therefore...
28.1K
01:35Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
3.3K
Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
3.3K