title: New role of glutamate as an immunoregulator via glutamate receptors and transporters.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that the amino acid glutamate (Glu) may play a role in mediating immune function. The demonstration of Glu receptors (GluR) and Glu transporters (GluT) on a variety of immune cells suggests that Glu has a functional role in immunoregulation well beyond its role as a neurotransmitter. The extracellular Glu concentration plays a key role in the regulation of GSH synthesis in immune cells via 2 key GluTs (i.e., Xc- and X-AG systems). Emerging evidence also suggests a role of Glu as signaling molecule in immune cells via ionotropic GluRs (iGluRs) and metabotropic GluRs (mGluRs). In vitro, extracellular Glu concentration has been shown to exert a dose-dependent regulation on lymphocyte activation/proliferation. Specifically, Given the exceedingly high intestinal Glu concentration, these finding are suggestive of a potential role for Glu in modulating immune function and promoting tolerance in the gut associated lymphoid tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Hongyu.Xue@ucdenver.edu
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Field
mesh_terms: D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG / Q000378:metabolism*; D003713:Dendritic Cells; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005978:Glutathione