Lactate fermentation intoxicates TILs

Abstract

Tumor-infiltrating T cells are known to encounter chronic antigens and hypoxia, which results in exhaustion and dysfunction. New data show that lactate fermentation, a characteristic of solid tumors, promotes the uptake of lactate into T cells via the monocarboxylate transporter MCT11, which reduces the metabolic fitness and anti-tumor function of these cells, an effect that might be targeted by immunotherapy.