Cutting Edge: Increased Autoimmunity Risk in Glycogen Storage Disease Type 1b Is Associated with a Reduced Engagement of Glycolysis in T Cells and an Impaired Regulatory T Cell Function

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.