mTOR, linking metabolism and immunity

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Xiaojin Xu, Emory University; Lilin Ye, Emory University; Koichi Araki, Emory University; Rafi Ahmed, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-12
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smim.2012.12.005
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Seminars in Immunology
• ISSN: 1044-5323
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 6
• Start Page: 429
• End Page: 435
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Health (Grant AI30048 and AI088575) and Mérieux foundation to RA.
• Keywords: T cells; autophagy; mTOR; rapamycin; metabolism; B cells
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

mTOR is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a critical role in cell growth and metabolism by sensing different environmental cues. There is a growing appreciation of mTOR in immunology for its role in integrating diverse signals from the immune microenvironment and coordinating the functions of immune cells and their metabolism. In CD8 T cells, mTOR has shown to influence cellular commitment to effector versus memory programming; in CD4 T cells, mTOR integrates environmental cues that instruct effector cell differentiation. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent advances in the field, with a focus on the mechanisms through which mTOR regulates cellular and humoral immunity. Further understanding will enable the manipulation of mTOR signaling to direct the biological functions of immune cells, which holds great potential for improving immune therapies and vaccination against infections and cancer.