Tailoring the immune response to the availability of nutrients.

The development and the maintenance of an efficient immune system represents a considerable metabolic investment for the organism. Ramond et al. have characterized a new molecular and cellular pathway, inhibiting the immune system in poor diet conditions in the Drosophila larva. Low nutrient conditions lead to the secretion of the adipokine NimB5 by the fat body, which inhibits the proliferation of the immune cells, hence preventing the exhaustion of the resources.