T cells orchestrate adaptive immunity against pathogens and other immune challenges, but their dysfunction can also mediate the pathogenesis of cancer and autoimmunity. Metabolic adaptation in response to immunological and microenvironmental signals contributes to T cell function and fate decision. Lipid metabolism has emerged as a key regulator of T cell responses, with selective lipid metabolites serving as metabolic rheostats to integrate environmental cues and interplay with intracellular signaling processes. Here, we discuss how extracellular, de novo synthesized and membrane lipids orchestrate T cell biology. We also describe the roles of lipids as regulators of intracellular signaling at the levels of transcriptional, epigenetic and post-translational regulation in T cells. Finally, we summarize therapeutic targeting of lipid metabolism and signaling, and conclude with a discussion of important future directions. Understanding the molecular and functional interplay between lipid metabolism and T cell biology will ultimately inform therapeutic intervention for human disease.

T 细胞协调针对病原体和其他免疫挑战的适应性免疫，但它们的功能障碍也可能介导癌症和自身免疫的发病机制。对免疫和微环境信号做出反应的代谢适应有助于 T 细胞功能和命运决定。脂质代谢已成为 T 细胞反应的关键调节因子，选择性脂质代谢物充当代谢变阻器，整合环境线索并与细胞内信号传导过程相互作用。在这里，我们讨论细胞外、从头合成和膜脂如何协调 T 细胞生物学。我们还描述了脂质在 T 细胞转录、表观遗传和翻译后调节水平上作为细胞内信号传导调节剂的作用。最后，我们总结了脂质代谢和信号传导的治疗靶向，并以对未来重要方向的讨论作为结束。了解脂质代谢和 T 细胞生物学之间的分子和功能相互作用最终将为人类疾病的治疗干预提供信息。