Metabolic Choice Tunes Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cell Function

Metabolic programs and dynamic nutrient signaling can direct cell biological function. Cellular metabolism and biological function are coordinated to cell activity. Regulatory T cells (Foxp3+ Tregs) expressing the key transcription factor FOXP3 play critical roles in the maintenance of immune tolerance and in the control of immune homeostasis. A bundle of data demonstrated that Foxp3+ Tregs were influenced and regulated by Toll-cell receptor (TCR) and costimulatory signals, cytokine conditions and metabolic changes, including metabolites, etc. In this context, Foxp3+ Tregs are impacted by different environmental conditions and metabolic differences associated with diverse transcriptional patterns, which, in turn, display a high degree of plasticity and tissue specificity. During the past decades, significant progresses have been made in understanding the correlation between metabolic changes and manipulation of Foxp3+ Treg function. Taken together, this chapter aims to summarize the important advances in the fields, decipher what metabolic ways are involved in Foxp3+ Tregs, and how metabolism modulates Foxp3 expression, stability, and suppressive functions, which may provide a potential pace on lightening up Foxp3+ Treg-mediated immune functions.