Metabolic control of T cell activation and death in SLE

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by abnormal T cell activation and death, processes which are crucially dependent on the controlled production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) and of ATP in mitochondria. The mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δ ψ m) has conclusively emerged as a critical checkpoint of ATP synthesis and cell death. Lupus T cells exhibit persistent elevation of Δ ψ m or mitochondrial hyperpolarization (MHP) as well as depletion of ATP and glutathione which decrease activation-induced apoptosis and instead predispose T cells for necrosis, thus stimulating inflammation in SLE. NO-induced mitochondrial biogenesis in normal T cells accelerates the rapid phase and reduces the plateau of Ca 2+ influx upon CD3/CD28 co-stimulation, thus mimicking the Ca 2+ signaling profile of lupus T cells. Treatment of SLE patients with rapamycin improves disease activity, normalizes CD3/CD28-induced Ca 2+ fluxing but fails to affect MHP, suggesting that altered Ca 2+ fluxing is downstream or independent of mitochondrial dysfunction. Understanding the molecular basis and consequences of MHP is essential for controlling T cell activation and death signaling in SLE.