articleNature ImmunologyNov 8, 2024HYBRID OA

Dysfunction of exhausted T cells is enforced by MCT11-mediated lactate metabolism

University of Pittsburgh · UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

PubMed
Indexed incrossrefpubmed

Abstract

Abstract CD8 + T cells are critical mediators of antitumor immunity but differentiate into a dysfunctional state, known as T cell exhaustion, after persistent T cell receptor stimulation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Exhausted T (T ex ) cells are characterized by upregulation of coinhibitory molecules and reduced polyfunctionality. T cells in the TME experience an immunosuppressive metabolic environment via reduced levels of nutrients and oxygen and a buildup of lactic acid. Here we show that terminally T ex cells uniquely upregulate Slc16a11 , which encodes monocarboxylate transporter 11 (MCT11). Conditional deletion of MCT11 in T cells reduced lactic acid uptake by T ex cells and improved their…

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