Zeitschrift für klinische und zelluläre Immunologie
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T cell Metabolism - Regulating Energy

Clemens Cammann, Burkhart Schraven, and Jonathan A. Lindquist

Antigenic stimulation of T cells initiates a change from the resting state into an activated one mediated by triggering the T cell receptor (TCR). This change is characterized by rapid proliferation, differentiation and acquisition of effector functions. To maintain the energetic needs accompanied by this processes, T cells are able to adapt their uptake and utilization of extracellular nutrients. Proliferation and differentiation into distinct subsets of T lymphocytes like effector-, regulatory-, and memory T cells is mediated by antigens, various cytokines and growth factors through their respective signaling pathways they trigger. Since these subsets acquire different functions in the immune system, their metabolic profiles also differ. Throughout the last decade the role metabolism was intensively investigated and evolved into one major part in understanding activation and differentiation processes in T cells. Key molecules like AKT and AMPK were described to be major regulators of metabolism. Therefore, we discuss in this review which signaling molecules are known regulate metabolic pathways in T cells and we give an overview over the mechanisms how they accomplish this task.