AUTHOR=Chapman Nicole M. , Chi Hongbo 

TITLE=mTOR Links Environmental Signals to T Cell Fate Decisions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=5

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2014.00686

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2014.00686

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>T cell fate decisions play an integral role in maintaining the health of organisms under homeostatic and inflammatory conditions. The localized microenvironment in which developing and mature T cells reside provides signals that serve essential functions in shaping these fate decisions. These signals are derived from the immune compartment, including antigens, co-stimulation, and cytokines, and other factors, including growth factors and nutrients. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a vital sensor of signals within the immune microenvironment, is a central regulator of T cell biology. In this review, we discuss how various environmental cues tune mTOR activity in T cells, and summarize how mTOR integrates these signals to influence multiple aspects of T cell biology.</p>