Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: The tryptophan metabolite kynurenine has critical immunomodulatory properties and can function as an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligand. Here we show that the ability of T cells to transport kynurenine is restricted to cells activated by the T-cell antigen receptor or proinflammatory cytokines. Kynurenine is transported across the T-cell membrane by the System L transporter SLC7A5. Accordingly, the ability of kynurenine to activate the AHR is restricted to T cells that express SLC7A5. We use the fluorescence spectral properties of kynurenine to develop a flow cytometry-based assay for rapid, sensitive and quantitative measurement of the kynurenine transport capacity in a single cell. Our findings provide a method to assess the susceptibility of T cells to kynurenine, and a sensitive single cell assay to monitor System L amino acid transport.
Source: Nature Communications
Language: English
Subfield: Biological Psychiatry
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,902
Funders: University of Dundee, Wellcome Trust
Awards: Signalling pathways that control T cell metabolism and T cell fate, Signalling pathways that control T cell metabolism and T cell fate, Serine kinase pathways that determine T lymphocyte activation and cell fate choices., Fluorescence activated cell sorting for cell biology and immunology, Fluorescence activated cell sorting for cell biology and immunology, G5570099221, Serine kinase pathways that determine T lymphocyte activation and cell fate choices.
OpenAlex ID: W2805022017