mTOR, linking metabolism and immunity

mTOR is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays a critical role in cell growth and metabolism by sensing different environmental cues. There is a growing appreciation of mTOR in immunology for its role in integrating diverse signals from the immune microenvironment and coordinating the functions of immune cells and their metabolism. In CD8 T cells, mTOR has shown to influence cellular commitment to effector versus memory programming; in CD4 T cells, mTOR integrates environmental cues that instruct effector cell differentiation. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent advances in the field, with a focus on the mechanisms through which mTOR regulates cellular and humoral immunity. Further understanding will enable the manipulation of mTOR signaling to direct the biological functions of immune cells, which holds great potential for improving immune therapies and vaccination against infections and cancer.

► mTOR facilitates cross-talk between metabolic and immune programming. ► mTOR is critical for CD4 and CD8 effector and memory T cell differentiation. ► There is a need to understand how mTOR regulates B cell responses. ► Autophagy and other pathways under control of mTOR influence immune cell functions. ► Manipulation of mTOR signaling pathways holds promise for immunotherapy.