Tracer-T | Analysis of the effect of the tumour microenvironment on T cell functional phenotype

Summary
A successful adaptive immune response requires T cells to be able to adopt a specific metabolic phenotype. However, in
diseases such as cancer or those associated with chronic inflammation, the metabolic microenvironment in which a T cell
functions is likely to subvert this metabolic phenotype, thereby disrupting function.

A better understanding of how the microenvironment can affect T cell function would permit the development of metabolic
'normalising' treatments that could restore function and permit disease resolution.

However, there is currently a disconnect within the field of immunometabolism that requires high resolution, direct analyses
of T cell metabolism in order to solve. We therefore propose an approach that uses stable isotope-enriched metabolites that
are associated with immunosuppressive cancer microenvironments (e.g. 13C3-lactate) to trace their use in different T cell
populations (isolated from healthy peripheral blood), and thereby identify the precise pathway by which they are metabolised
and how this alters cytotoxic function and proliferative capacity. By inhibiting the metabolic pathway implicated either
pharmacologically, or using physiologically relevant stimuli (e.g. hypoxia), we will unequivocally link use of specific
immunomodulatory metabolites, such as lactate, succinate and citrate, with T cell function.
Unfold all
/
Fold all
More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/793227
Start date: 01-09-2018
End date: 27-10-2021
Total budget - Public funding: 195 454,80 Euro - 195 454,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

A successful adaptive immune response requires T cells to be able to adopt a specific metabolic phenotype. However, in
diseases such as cancer or those associated with chronic inflammation, the metabolic microenvironment in which a T cell
functions is likely to subvert this metabolic phenotype, thereby disrupting function.

A better understanding of how the microenvironment can affect T cell function would permit the development of metabolic
'normalising' treatments that could restore function and permit disease resolution.

However, there is currently a disconnect within the field of immunometabolism that requires high resolution, direct analyses
of T cell metabolism in order to solve. We therefore propose an approach that uses stable isotope-enriched metabolites that
are associated with immunosuppressive cancer microenvironments (e.g. 13C3-lactate) to trace their use in different T cell
populations (isolated from healthy peripheral blood), and thereby identify the precise pathway by which they are metabolised
and how this alters cytotoxic function and proliferative capacity. By inhibiting the metabolic pathway implicated either
pharmacologically, or using physiologically relevant stimuli (e.g. hypoxia), we will unequivocally link use of specific
immunomodulatory metabolites, such as lactate, succinate and citrate, with T cell function.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2017

Update Date

28-04-2024
Geographical location(s)
Structured mapping
Unfold all
/
Fold all
EU-Programme-Call
Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2017
MSCA-IF-2017