T cells are among the most common cell types present in atherosclerotic plaques and are increasingly being recognized as a central mediator in atherosclerosis development and progression. At the same time, triglycerides and fatty acids have re-emerged as crucial risk factors for atherosclerosis. Triglycerides and fatty acids are important components of the milieu to which the T cell is exposed from the circulation to the plaque, and increasing evidence shows that fatty acids influence T cell function. In this Review, we discuss the effects of fatty acids on four components of the T cell response — metabolism, activation, proliferation and polarization — and the influence of these changes on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We also discuss how quiescent T cells can undergo a type of metabolic reprogramming induced by exposure to fatty acids in the circulation that influences the subsequent functions of T cells after activation, such as in atherosclerotic plaques.

T 细胞是动脉粥样硬化斑块中最常见的细胞类型之一，并且越来越多地被认为是动脉粥样硬化发生和进展的中心介质。与此同时，甘油三酯和脂肪酸重新成为动脉粥样硬化的关键危险因素。甘油三酯和脂肪酸是 T 细胞从循环到斑块所暴露的环境的重要组成部分，越来越多的证据表明脂肪酸影响 T 细胞功能。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了脂肪酸对 T 细胞反应的四个组成部分（代谢、活化、增殖和极化）的影响，以及这些变化对动脉粥样硬化发病机制的影响。我们还讨论了静止 T 细胞如何经历一种因暴露于循环中的脂肪酸而诱导的代谢重编程，从而影响 T 细胞激活后的后续功能，例如在动脉粥样硬化斑块中。