American Association of Immunologists, The Journal of Immunology, 10(198), p. 3803-3808, 2017
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Abstract Glycogen storage disease type 1b (GSD-1b) is an autosomal-recessive disease caused by mutation of glucose-6–phosphate transporter and characterized by altered glycogen/glucose homeostasis. A higher frequency of autoimmune diseases has been observed in GSD-1b patients, but the molecular determinants leading to this phenomenon remain unknown. To address this question, we investigated the effect of glucose-6–phosphate transporter mutation on immune cell homeostasis and CD4+ T cell functions. In GSD-1b subjects, we found lymphopenia and a reduced capacity of T cells to engage glycolysis upon TCR stimulation. These phenomena associated with reduced expression of the FOXP3 transcription factor, lower suppressive function in peripheral CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells, and an impaired capacity of CD4+CD25− conventional T cells to induce expression of FOXP3 after suboptimal TCR stimulation. These data unveil the metabolic determinant leading to an increased autoimmunity risk in GSD-1b patients.