Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system. Although the pathogenesis of MS is not yet fully elucidated, several evidences suggest that autoimmune processes mediated by Th1, Th17, and B cells play an important role in the developme...

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Main Author: Jorge Correale
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.600428/full
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author Jorge Correale
author_facet Jorge Correale
author_sort Jorge Correale
collection DOAJ
description Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system. Although the pathogenesis of MS is not yet fully elucidated, several evidences suggest that autoimmune processes mediated by Th1, Th17, and B cells play an important role in the development of the disease. Similar to other cells, immune cells need continuous access to amino acids (AA) in order to maintain basal metabolism and maintain vitality. When immune cells are activated by inflammation or antigenic signals, their demand for AA increases rapidly. Although AA deprivation itself may weaken the immune response under certain conditions, cells also have AA sensitive pathways that can activate intense alterations in cell metabolism based on changes in AA levels. Several data indicate that cells expressing enzymes that can degrade AA can regulate the functions of antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes, revealing that the AA pathways are essential for controlling the function, and survival of immune cells, as well as immune cell gene expression. Basal AA catabolism may contribute to immune homeostasis and prevent autoimmunity, while increased AA catalytic activity may enhance immune suppression. In addition, there is increasing evidence that some downstream AA metabolites are important biological mediators of autoimmune response regulation. Two of the most important AA that modulate the immune response are L-Tryptophan (Trp) and L-Arginine (Arg). Tryptophan is catabolized through 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) 1 and IDO2 enzymes, while three other enzymes catabolize Arg: inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), and two arginase isoforms (ARG1, ARG2). Genes encoding IDO, iNOS and ARG are induced by inflammatory cues such as cytokines, a key feature that distinguishes them from enzymes that catabolize other AA. Evidence suggests that AA catabolism is decreased in MS patients and that this decrease has functional consequences, increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreasing Treg cell numbers. These effects are mediated by at least two distinct pathways involving serine/threonine kinases: the general control nonderepressible 2 kinase (GCN2K) pathway; and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Similarly, IDO1-deficient mice showed exacerbation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), increased Th1 and Th17 cells, and decreased Treg cells. On the contrary, the administration of downstream Trp metabolite 3-HAA, inhibits Th1/Th17 effector cells and promotes Treg response by up-regulating TGF-β production by dendritic cells, thereby improving EAE. Collectively, these observations stand out the significance of AA catabolism in the regulation of the immune responses in MS patients. The molecules related to these pathways deserve further exploration as potential new therapeutic targets in MS
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spelling doaj.art-d839c948447c4781bf9f7147537e155d2022-12-21T19:00:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242021-01-011110.3389/fimmu.2020.600428600428Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple SclerosisJorge CorrealeMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system. Although the pathogenesis of MS is not yet fully elucidated, several evidences suggest that autoimmune processes mediated by Th1, Th17, and B cells play an important role in the development of the disease. Similar to other cells, immune cells need continuous access to amino acids (AA) in order to maintain basal metabolism and maintain vitality. When immune cells are activated by inflammation or antigenic signals, their demand for AA increases rapidly. Although AA deprivation itself may weaken the immune response under certain conditions, cells also have AA sensitive pathways that can activate intense alterations in cell metabolism based on changes in AA levels. Several data indicate that cells expressing enzymes that can degrade AA can regulate the functions of antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes, revealing that the AA pathways are essential for controlling the function, and survival of immune cells, as well as immune cell gene expression. Basal AA catabolism may contribute to immune homeostasis and prevent autoimmunity, while increased AA catalytic activity may enhance immune suppression. In addition, there is increasing evidence that some downstream AA metabolites are important biological mediators of autoimmune response regulation. Two of the most important AA that modulate the immune response are L-Tryptophan (Trp) and L-Arginine (Arg). Tryptophan is catabolized through 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) 1 and IDO2 enzymes, while three other enzymes catabolize Arg: inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), and two arginase isoforms (ARG1, ARG2). Genes encoding IDO, iNOS and ARG are induced by inflammatory cues such as cytokines, a key feature that distinguishes them from enzymes that catabolize other AA. Evidence suggests that AA catabolism is decreased in MS patients and that this decrease has functional consequences, increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreasing Treg cell numbers. These effects are mediated by at least two distinct pathways involving serine/threonine kinases: the general control nonderepressible 2 kinase (GCN2K) pathway; and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Similarly, IDO1-deficient mice showed exacerbation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), increased Th1 and Th17 cells, and decreased Treg cells. On the contrary, the administration of downstream Trp metabolite 3-HAA, inhibits Th1/Th17 effector cells and promotes Treg response by up-regulating TGF-β production by dendritic cells, thereby improving EAE. Collectively, these observations stand out the significance of AA catabolism in the regulation of the immune responses in MS patients. The molecules related to these pathways deserve further exploration as potential new therapeutic targets in MShttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.600428/fullmultiple sclerosisamino acidstryptophanargininemammalian target of rapamycingeneral control nonderepressible 2 kinase
spellingShingle Jorge Correale
Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis
Frontiers in Immunology
multiple sclerosis
amino acids
tryptophan
arginine
mammalian target of rapamycin
general control nonderepressible 2 kinase
title Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis
title_full Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis
title_fullStr Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis
title_full_unstemmed Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis
title_short Immunosuppressive Amino-Acid Catabolizing Enzymes in Multiple Sclerosis
title_sort immunosuppressive amino acid catabolizing enzymes in multiple sclerosis
topic multiple sclerosis
amino acids
tryptophan
arginine
mammalian target of rapamycin
general control nonderepressible 2 kinase
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.600428/full
work_keys_str_mv AT jorgecorreale immunosuppressiveaminoacidcatabolizingenzymesinmultiplesclerosis