T cells up-regulate surface insulin receptor expression activation. Using genetic models in which T cells selectively lack insulin receptor expression, we observed that insulin exerts a stimulatory effect on T cell function in the setting of influenza infection. Insulin does so through altering T cell metabolic reprogramming in a Myc-dependent manner.

Obesity is a leading risk factor for a number of immune-related diseases, include severe infections, vaccine failure, and certain forms of cancer. It is not well understood why there is an impairment in antigen-specific immunity in an overall pro-inflammatory environment brought on by obesity. Following the observation that during obesity, immune cells can experience cell-intrinsic insulin resistance, we set out to study the impact of insulin resistance and obesity on immune function in the contexts of viral infection and cancer.