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. 2014 Dec 1;125(1):194–207. doi: 10.1172/JCI76012

Figure 2. Teffs and Tregs utilize different metabolic pathways and have distinct fuel capacities.

Figure 2

CD4+CD25– T cells were polarized in vitro for 3 days, split 1:2, and cultured with IL-2 alone for an additional 2 days to generate induced Th1 or Th17 cells or Tregs. (A–C) T cells were cultured in base DMEM media with no glucose or glutamine. ECAR was assessed after the addition of 25 mM glucose (gluc) and in response to the metabolic inhibitors oligomycin (oligo) and 2DG. Shown are the (A) time course and calculations of (B) glycolytic capacity and (C) glycolytic reserve. (D and E) T cells were cultured in base DMEM media with 25 mM glucose. OCR was assessed basally and in response to the mitochondrial inhibitors oligomycin, FCCP, and rotenone and antimycin A (Rot/AntiA). Shown are the (D) time course and (E) calculation of SRC. (F) Glucose oxidation was measured in the T cell subsets, and the ratio of glucose oxidation to glycolysis was graphed. Data are shown as mean ± SD of triplicate samples (B, C, E, and F), and all data are representative of at least 3 independent experiments. *P < 0.05.