Metabolic Regulation of T Lymphocytes.

T cell activation leads to dramatic shifts in cell metabolism to pro-tect against pathogens and to orchestrate the action of other immune cells. Quiescent T cells require predominandy ATP-generating pro-cesses, whereas proliferating effector T cells require high metabolic flux through growth-promoting pathways. Further, functionally dis-tinct T cell subsets require distinct energetic and biosynthetic pathways to support their specific functional needs. Pathways that control im-mune cell function and metabolism are intimately linked, and changes in cell metabolism at both the cell and system levels have been shown to enhance or suppress specific T cell functions. As a result of these findings, cell metabolism is now appreciated as a key regulator of T cell function specification and fate. This review discusses the role of cellular metabolism in T cell development, activation, differentiation, and func-tion to highlight the clinical relevance and opportunities for therapeutic interventions that may be used to disrupt immune pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]