Amino Acids and Their Transporters in T Cell Immunity and Cancer Therapy

• Published in: Molecular cell 2020-11, Vol.80 (3), p.384-395
• Main Authors: Wang, Weimin, Zou, Weiping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: amino acid; Amino Acid Transport Systems - metabolism; Amino Acid Transport Systems - physiology; Amino Acids - metabolism; Animals; cancer; CD8+ T cell; checkpoint blockade; Humans; Immunity; Immunotherapy; Membrane Transport Proteins - physiology; metabolism; Neoplasms - immunology; Neoplasms - pathology; Solute Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Solute Carrier Proteins - physiology; solute carriers; T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Tumor Microenvironment - immunology
• ISSN: 1097-2765; 1097-4164
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.09.006

Metabolism reprogramming is critical for both cancer progression and effective immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. Amino acid metabolism in different cells and their cross-talk shape tumor immunity and therapy efficacy in patients with cancer. In this review, we focus on multiple amino acids and their transporters, solute carrier (SLC) members. We discuss their involvement in regulation of immune responses in the tumor microenvironment and assess their associations with cancer immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, and we review their potential as targets for cancer therapy. We stress the necessity to understand individual amino acids and their transporters in different cell subsets, the molecular intersection between amino acid metabolism, and effective T cell immunity and its relevance in cancer therapies. Metabolism reprogramming affects both cancer progression and effective immune responses. Wang and Zou review the transportation and metabolism of multiple amino acids in different cell types in the tumor microenvironment and their relevance in cancer immunity and therapy in patients with cancer.