Competition for nutrients and its role in controlling immune responses

• Published in: Nature communications 2019-05, Vol.10 (1), p.2123-2123, Article 2123
• Main Authors: Kedia-Mehta, Nidhi, Finlay, David K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/250; 631/250/1933; 631/250/516; 631/443/319; Amino acids; Amino Acids - metabolism; Biosynthetic Pathways - immunology; Cell fate; Cellular Microenvironment - immunology; Control; Energy Metabolism - immunology; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Glucose - metabolism; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Immune response; Immune system; Immune System - cytology; Immune System - physiology; Immunity, Cellular - physiology; Metabolism; Microenvironments; Mitochondria - immunology; multidisciplinary; Nutrient availability; Nutrient uptake; Nutrients; Nutrients - metabolism; Review; Review Article; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Signal Transduction - immunology
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10015-4

Changes in cellular metabolism are associated with the activation of diverse immune subsets. These changes are fuelled by nutrients including glucose, amino acids and fatty acids, and are closely linked to immune cell fate and function. An emerging concept is that nutrients are not equally available to all immune cells, suggesting that the regulation of nutrient utility through competitive uptake and use is important for controlling immune responses. This review considers immune microenvironments where nutrients become limiting, the signalling alterations caused by insufficient nutrients, and the importance of nutrient availability in the regulation of immune responses. Immune cells adapt distinct metabolic strategies to accommodate specific functions associated with cell types or differentiation stages. Here in this review the authors discuss the nutrients, sensors, and mediators of such a metabolic adaption in nutrient-limiting immune microenvironments such as tumors or infections.