1. Academic Validation
  2. Recognition of Vitamin B Precursors and Byproducts by Mucosal Associated Invariant T Cells

Recognition of Vitamin B Precursors and Byproducts by Mucosal Associated Invariant T Cells

  • J Biol Chem. 2015 Dec 18;290(51):30204-11. doi: 10.1074/jbc.R115.685990.
Sidonia B G Eckle 1 Alexandra J Corbett 1 Andrew N Keller 2 Zhenjun Chen 1 Dale I Godfrey 3 Ligong Liu 4 Jeffrey Y W Mak 4 David P Fairlie 4 Jamie Rossjohn 5 James McCluskey 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and.
  • 2 the Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
  • 3 From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
  • 4 Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia, and the Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, and.
  • 5 the Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia, the Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, United Kingdom jamie.rossjohn@monash.edu.
  • 6 From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and jamesm1@unimelb.edu.au.
Abstract

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is essential for metabolic functions and is synthesized by many bacteria, yeast, and Plants, but not by mammals and other Animals, which must acquire it from the diet. In mammals, modified pyrimidine intermediates from the microbial biosynthesis of riboflavin are recognized as signature biomarkers of microbial Infection. This recognition occurs by specialized lymphocytes known as mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. The major histocompatibility class I-like antigen-presenting molecule, MR1, captures these pyrimidine intermediates, but only after their condensation with small molecules derived from glycolysis and other metabolic pathways to form short-lived antigens. The resulting MR1-Ag complexes are recognized by MAIT cell antigen receptors (αβ T cell receptors (TCRs)), and the subsequent MAIT cell immune responses are thought to protect the host from pathogens at mucosal surfaces. Here, we review our understanding of how these novel antigens are generated and discuss their interactions with MR1 and MAIT TCRs.

Keywords

Ag presentation; MAIT cells; MR1; T cell recognition; bacterial metabolism; folate; innate immunity; riboflavin; vitamin.

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