Abstract
Recent studies have shown that T cell metabolism has become a key
regulator of T cell function and even can determine T cell function at
last. Naïve T cells use fatty acid oxidation (FAO) to meet their
energetic demands. Effector T cells mainly rely on aerobic glycolysis to
supply energy and synthesize intermediate products. Similar to naïve T
cells, memory T cells primarily utilize FAO for energy. Exhausted T
cells, which can be induced by continuous activation of T cells upon
persistently chronic infections such as tuberculosis, mainly rely on
glycolysis for energy. The prevention and treatment of T cell exhaustion
is facing great challenges. Interfering T cell metabolism may achieve
the goal of prevention and treatment of T cell exhaustion. In this
review, we compiled the researches related to exhausted T cell
metabolism and put forward the metabolic intervention strategies to
reverse T cell exhaustion at different stages to achieve the purpose of
preventing and treating T cell exhaustion.