Etomoxir Actions on Regulatory and Memory T Cells Are Independent of Cpt1a-Mediated Fatty Acid Oxidation.

T cell subsets including effector (T_eff), regulatory (T_reg), and memory (T_mem) cells are characterized by distinct metabolic profiles that influence their differentiation and function. Previous research suggests that engagement of long-chain fatty acid oxidation (LC-FAO) supports Foxp3⁺ T_reg cell and T_mem cell survival. However, evidence for this is mostly based on inhibition of Cpt1a, the rate-limiting enzyme for LC-FAO, with the drug etomoxir. Using genetic models to target Cpt1a specifically in T cells, we dissected the role of LC-FAO in primary, memory, and regulatory T cell responses. Here we show that the ACC2/Cpt1a axis is largely dispensable for T_eff, T_mem, or T_reg cell formation, and that the effects of etomoxir on T cell differentiation and function are independent of Cpt1a expression. Together our data argue that metabolic pathways other than LC-FAO fuel T_mem or T_reg differentiation and suggest alternative mechanisms for the effects of etomoxir that involve mitochondrial respiration.

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