Probiotics and immune checkpoint inhibitors

Journal Club: MJ Bender and coworkers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine reported recently (in Cell) fascinating microbial-host crosstalk between probiotic-released aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist indole-3-aldehyde (I3A) and CD8 T cells within the tumor microenvironment that potently enhances antitumor immunity and facilitates immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in preclinical melanoma. I3A is a dietary tryptophan catabolite which promotes interferon-gamma-producing CD8 T cells, thereby bolstering ICI.

A number of small molecule tool compounds which act on AhR were employed in this study.

Focus Biomolecules supplies all of these AhR tool compounds for research applications.