Aerobic glycolysis promotes T helper 1 cell differentiation through an epigenetic mechanism

Metabolic support for T cell functions For immunological T cells, responding to infections is energetically demanding. T cells rewire their metabolism so that they rely more heavily on aerobic glycolysis. This helps them to support important effector functions such as secreting the cytokine interferon γ (IFNγ). Peng et al. now provide insight into how aerobic glycolysis promotes T cell effector function. Activated T cells express the aerobic glycolysis–supporting enzyme lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), allowing these cells to maintain high amounts of acetyl–coenzyme A, which in turn promotes histone acetylation and transcription of cytokines such as IFNγ. Engineered mice whose T cells lacked LDHA were protected from IFNγ-dependent pathologies that often characterize autoinflammatory diseases. Science , this issue p. 481