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Updated: May 7, 2025

Measuring Mitochondrial Function of Naïve and Effector CD8 T Cells
Published on: March 28, 2025
Lipids guide T cell antitumor immunity by shaping their metabolic and functional fitness
Letizia Rumiano1, Teresa Manzo1
1Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Abstract:
Lipids are metabolic messengers essential for energy production, membrane structure, and signal transduction. Beyond their recognized role, lipids have emerged as metabolic rheostats of T cell responses, with distinct species differentially modulating CD8+ T cell (CTL) fate and function. Indeed, lipids can influence T cell signaling by altering their membrane composition; in addition, they can affect the differentiation path of T cells through cellular metabolism. This Review discusses the ability of lipids to shape T cell phenotypes and functions. Based on this link between lipid metabolism, metabolic fitness and immunosurveillance, we suggest that lipid could be rationally integrated in the context of immunotherapies to fine-tune fitness and function of adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) products.
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