How regulatory T cells' metabolism shapes their behavior
Metabolic control of regulatory T cell functional identity
Researchers are changing the fuels regulatory T cells use (like sugar versus lactate) to understand how that alters their activity in cancer and autoimmune conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11142640 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective, the team studies special immune cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs) to learn how different metabolic fuels (such as glucose or lactate) change what the cells do. They use laboratory models, including tumor models and genetically modified mice that lack the lactate transporter MCT1 in Tregs, to observe effects on Treg survival, proliferation, and suppressive function. The researchers also examine how cancer immunotherapy (CTLA-4 blockade) shifts Tregs toward using glucose instead of lactate. The goal is to identify metabolic switches that could be targeted to improve anti-tumor immunity or to better control harmful inflammation in autoimmune disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancer who are candidates for immunotherapy and patients with autoimmune diseases could be future candidates for treatments or trials that stem from this research.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to immune regulation, or those needing immediate clinical care, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic lab-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways to tweak Treg metabolism to strengthen cancer immunotherapy or to reduce damaging inflammation in autoimmune diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Prior mouse studies, including work from this group, showed that blocking the lactate transporter MCT1 weakens Treg function in tumors, but translating metabolic targeting to human trials has not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Delgoffe, Greg M. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Delgoffe, Greg M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.