biostudies-literatureKim VNIAID NIH HHSNIAMS NIH HHSe189858https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12288977biostudies-literatureUnknown10(14)Cellular metabolism plays a key role in T cell biology. Increased glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration have been identified in CD4+ helper T cells from both patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus mouse models. Inhibiting this metabolic activity can reduce T cell activation and ameliorate disease symptoms in lupus mice. However, the metabolic differences among circulating follicular helper T (cTfh) cell subsets in patients with SLE versus healthy controls (HCs) have not been thoroughly studied. While the frequencies of cTfh cells and their subsets were similar between patients with SLE and HCs, patients exhibited a higher proportion of activated ICOS+ programmed cell death 1-positive cells, which correlated with disease activity. cTfh17 cells from both patients with JCI insightMetabolic pathways within cTfh subsets and glucose-dependent activation of cTfh17 in SLE and healthy individuals.PMC12288977U19 AI144306R01 AR074565Aranow CTian HKim VMisao TMackay MKim SJfalseMetabolic pathways within cTfh subsets and glucose-dependent activation of cTfh17 in SLE and healthy individuals.Cellular metabolism plays a key role in T cell biology. Increased glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration have been identified in CD4+ helper T cells from both patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus mouse models. Inhibiting this metabolic activity can reduce T cell activation and ameliorate disease symptoms in lupus mice. However, the metabolic differences among circulating follicular helper T (cTfh) cell subsets in patients with SLE versus healthy controls (HCs) have not been thoroughly studied. While the frequencies of cTfh cells and their subsets were similar between patients with SLE and HCs, patients exhibited a higher proportion of activated ICOS+ programmed cell death 1-positive cells, which correlated with disease activity. cTfh17 cells from both patients with 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Jul2026-07-15T14:17:19.855Z2025-08-27T03:06:49.078ZS-EPMC122889774069346110.1172/jci.insight.189858