Frontiers in Immunology (Mar 2016)
Intrinsic and TME-induced metabolism adaptations of T cells and impact on their differentiation and function
Abstract
It is well recognized that the immune system and metabolism are highly integrated. In this context, multilevel interactions between metabolic system and T lymphocyte signaling and fate exist. This review will discuss different potential cell metabolism pathways involved in shaping T lymphocyte function and differentiation. We will also provide a general framework for understanding how tumor microenvironmental metabolism, associated with hypoxic stress, interferes with T-cell priming and expansion. How T cell metabolism drives T cell–mediated immunity and how the manipulation of metabolic programming for therapeutic purposes will be also discussed.
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