When T Cells Run Out of Breath: The HIF-1α Story

In this issue, Dang et al. (2011) report a role for the hypoxia-induced transcription factor HIF-1α in regulating the differentiation of T cell subsets that impact both inflammation and its resolution. Their findings illustrate how metabolic signals can alter the balance between inflammation and tolerance and present a potential therapeutic opportunity for the treatment of diseases associated with chronic inflammation.