Ricerc@Sapienza

Plasma membrane lipids play essential roles in regulating T cell signaling, differentiation, and
effector functions. The major lipid species in the plasma membrane are glycerophospholipids,
sphingolipids, and sterol lipids. TCR and costimulatory molecules lead to profound changes in
the composition, distribution, and dynamic of plasma membrane lipids. For instance, cholesterol,
sphingomyelin, and saturated phosphocholine are enriched at the contact zone between T cells
and antigen-presenting cells during peptide/MHC complexes recognition, where they constitute
a platform of lipid domains essential for optimal T cell signaling. Glycerophospholipid provide
docking sites for binding pivotal signaling proteins as well as for their conformation, portioning,
and mobility. Finally, plasma membrane lipids also act as second messengers with important
immune-regulatory functions.
This Research Topic contains seven articles that review the current understanding of the mechanisms
and molecules involved in the metabolism and function of membrane lipids and how differences
in their content may affect T cell functional properties.