Health and Disability

A study led by researchers from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) affiliated to the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), shows that L-arginine, an amino acid that is consumed through diet, can boost the activity of a particular type of immune cells, so called T cells. When the levels of L-arginine are increased the metabolism of these cells is re-organized and the cells survive longer and are more effective in fighting tumors. These findings are published in the renowned scientific journal Cell and open up new ways to improve T cell therapies against cancer.

This possibility was tested in the laboratory of Federica Sallusto (IRB Bellinzona) and led to the discovery that orally administered L-arginine endowed T cells with a higher survival capacity and a better effectiveness against tumors. To understand the underlying molecular mechanism, the researchers collaborated with another team headed by Paola Picotti (ETH Zürich) that developed a method for the identification of proteins that interact with metabolites. Using this approach three proteins were identified that sense increased L-arginine levels and participate in the remodeling of T cells toward increased survival.