title: Temperature-dependent biosynthesis of glucose monomycolate and its recognition by CD1-restricted T cells.
abstract: Mycolic acids are long chain fatty acids that constitute the lipid-rich cell wall framework of mycobacteria. Upon infection, mycobacteria begin to synthesize glucose monomycolate (GMM), a glucosylated species of mycolic acids, by utilizing host-derived glucose as sugar source. Accordingly, GMM production serves as a good indicator for local invasion of mycobacteria, and its detection by the host immune system would favor efficient monitoring of mycobacterial infection. Here, we found that GMM was produced abundantly at 30 degrees C rather than at 37 degrees C and recognized by a GMM-specific, CD1-restricted T cell line that was isolated from mycobacteria-infected human skin. Since the common portal sites for mycobacterial infection include ventilating alveoli of the lung and the externally exposed skin that often render invading microbes survive at reduced temperature, sampling GMM by CD1 lipid antigen-presenting molecules may allow the host to detect mycobacterial infection at its early phases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Enomoto
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Isamu
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Akimasa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Norose
authors.forename: Ikuya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yano
mesh_terms: D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D018949:Antigens, CD1; D006017:Glycolipids; D007376:Interleukin-2; C048938:glucose mycolate