Mitochondrial metabolism is essential for invariant natural killer T cell development and function.

ABSTRACT: Conventional T cell fate and function are determined by coordination between cellular signaling and mitochondrial metabolism. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are an important subset of "innate-like" T cells that exist in a preactivated effector state, and their dependence on mitochondrial metabolism has not been previously defined genetically or in vivo. Here, we show that mature iNKT cells have reduced mitochondrial respiratory reserve and iNKT cell development was highly sensitive to perturbation of mitochondrial function. Mice with T cell-specific ablation of Rieske iron-sulfur protein (RISP; T-Uqcrfs1^-/- ), an essential subunit of mitochondrial complex III, had a dramatic reduction of iNKT cells in the thymus and periphery, but no significant perturbati

SUBMITTER: Weng X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8020658 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature