Mucosal-associated invariant T Cell effector function is an intrinsic cell property that can be augmented by the Metabolic Cofactor α-Ketoglutarate

LJ Howson; J Li; A Von Borstel; A Barugahare; JYW Mak; DP Fairlie; J McCluskey; SJ Turner; MS Davey; J Rossjohn

Journal article

Mucosal-associated invariant T Cell effector function is an intrinsic cell property that can be augmented by the Metabolic Cofactor α-Ketoglutarate

LJ Howson, J Li, A Von Borstel, A Barugahare, JYW Mak, DP Fairlie, J McCluskey, SJ Turner, MS Davey, J Rossjohn

Journal of Immunology | Published : 2021

DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001048

Abstract

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an innate-like population of unconventional T cells that respond rapidly to microbial metabolite Ags or cytokine stimulation. Because of this reactivity and surface expression of CD45RO+, CD45RA2-, and CD127+, they are described as effector memory cells. Yet, there is heterogeneity in MAIT cell effector response. It is unclear what factors control MAIT cell effector capacity, whether it is fixed or can be modified and if this differs based on whether activation is TCR dependent or independent. To address this, we have taken a systematic approach to examine human MAIT cell effector capacity across healthy individuals in response to ligand and cy..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Lauren J. Howson Author

McCluskey James Author

Jamie Rossjohn Author

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a program grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) (1013667 and 1016629) and the Australian Research Council (ARC) (CE140100011); D.P.F. is supported by a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship (1117766); M.S.D. is supported by an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award Fellowship; J.R. is supported by an Australian ARC Laureate Fellowship.