CTP synthase 1 deficiency in humans reveals its central role in lymphocyte proliferation.

Article Details

Citation

Martin E, Palmic N, Sanquer S, Lenoir C, Hauck F, Mongellaz C, Fabrega S, Nitschke P, Esposti MD, Schwartzentruber J, Taylor N, Majewski J, Jabado N, Wynn RF, Picard C, Fischer A, Arkwright PD, Latour S

CTP synthase 1 deficiency in humans reveals its central role in lymphocyte proliferation.

Nature. 2014 Jun 12;510(7504):288-92. doi: 10.1038/nature13386. Epub 2014 May 28.

PubMed ID
24870241 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

Lymphocyte functions triggered by antigen recognition and co-stimulation signals are associated with a rapid and intense cell division, and hence with metabolism adaptation. The nucleotide cytidine 5' triphosphate (CTP) is a precursor required for the metabolism of DNA, RNA and phospholipids. CTP originates from two sources: a salvage pathway and a de novo synthesis pathway that depends on two enzymes, the CTP synthases (or synthetases) 1 and 2 (CTPS1 with CTPS2); the respective roles of these two enzymes are not known. CTP synthase activity is a potentially important step for DNA synthesis in lymphocytes. Here we report the identification of a loss-of-function homozygous mutation (rs145092287) in CTPS1 in humans that causes a novel and life-threatening immunodeficiency, characterized by an impaired capacity of activated T and B cells to proliferate in response to antigen receptor-mediated activation. In contrast, proximal and distal T-cell receptor (TCR) signalling events and responses were only weakly affected by the absence of CTPS1. Activated CTPS1-deficient cells had decreased levels of CTP. Normal T-cell proliferation was restored in CTPS1-deficient cells by expressing wild-type CTPS1 or by addition of exogenous CTP or its nucleoside precursor, cytidine. CTPS1 expression was found to be low in resting T cells, but rapidly upregulated following TCR activation. These results highlight a key and specific role of CTPS1 in the immune system by its capacity to sustain the proliferation of activated lymphocytes during the immune response. CTPS1 may therefore represent a therapeutic target of immunosuppressive drugs that could specifically dampen lymphocyte activation.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets
DrugTargetKindOrganismPharmacological ActionActions
L-GlutamineCTP synthase 1ProteinHumans
Unknown
Antagonist
Substrate
Details
Polypeptides
NameUniProt ID
CTP synthase 1P17812Details