Cytoplasmic NAD/H synthesis via NRK1 regulates inflammatory capacity and promotes survival of CD4+ T cells

T cell metabolism increases upon activation, underpinning immune effector functions. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD/H) is an essential redox cofactor for glycolysis and mitochondrial substrate oxidation. It's phosphorylation to NADP/H regulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) abundance. NAD/H levels increase upon T cell activation, but synthesis pathways and implications are not fully characterised. Here, we interrogate the role of the NAD/H-synthesis enzyme nicotinamide riboside kinase 1 (NRK1), the expression of which increases upon stimulation of both human and murine CD4⁺ T cells. Functionally, NRK1 activity restrains activation and cytokine production of CD4⁺ T cells while promoting survival. These activities are linked to increased NRK1 expression in the cytoplasm, where it locally raises NAD/H levels. This supports glycolysis, but more profoundly impacts cytoplasmic NADP/H generation, thereby controlling ROS abundance and nuclear NFAT translocation. During fungal and viral infection, T-cell-intrinsic NRK1 maintains effector CD4⁺ T cell abundance within affected tissues and draining lymph nodes, supporting infection control. Taken together, these data confirm that subcellular regulation of immune cell metabolism determines immune responses at the level of whole organism.