title: Control of immune response by amino acid metabolism.
abstract: The interaction between pathogenic microorganisms and their hosts is regulated by reciprocal survival strategies, including competition for essential nutrients. Though paradoxical, mammalian hosts have learned to take advantage of amino acid catabolism for controlling pathogen invasion and, at the same time, regulating their own immune responses. In this way, ancient catabolic enzymes have acquired novel functions and evolved into new structures with highly specialized functions, which go beyond the struggle for survival. In this review, we analyze the evidence supporting a critical role for the metabolism of various amino acids in regulating different steps of both innate and adaptive immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grohmann
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bronte
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; D014364:Tryptophan