{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T08:44:09Z","timestamp":1792485849291,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777420800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":28,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"City of Dublin Skin and Cancer Hospital Charity"},{"name":"Maynooth University Hume Fellowship"},{"name":"Attune NxT was provided to Maynooth University Department of Biology by Science Foundation Ireland","award":["16\/RI\/3399"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["16\/RI\/3399"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are unconventional T cells, which upon activation can display potent cytotoxic and cytokine-producing capabilities. Together, these features make MAIT cells promising candidates for cancer immunotherapy. In this study, we show that MAIT cells can be efficiently amplified in vitro, and these amplified MAIT cells are armed with potent anticancer functions, including the ability to produce significant amounts of effector molecules such as IFN\u03b3 and granzyme B. Excitingly, we demonstrate that MAIT cells can be redirected to potently kill cancerous cells using a clinically relevant bispecific monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, in an attempt to metabolically condition MAIT cells to improve function, we demonstrate that MAIT cells possess the molecular machinery to transport and metabolize lactate, an abundant metabolite within the solid tumor microenvironment. Activating MAIT cells in the presence of exogenous sodium lactate remodels their cellular metabolism, with a significant increase in mitochondrial metabolism. Functionally, this supports elevated production of effector molecules (IFN\u03b3, granzymes A and B), leading to boosted engager mediated MAIT cell cytotoxicity. These data collectively show that MAIT cells can be pharmacologically directed to target cancer cells and in vitro conditioning using sodium lactate can enhance their anticancer capabilities through reprogrammed cellular metabolism. Our findings represent a novel strategy for a potential new adoptive cancer immunotherapy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/jimmun\/vkag073","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T14:28:56Z","timestamp":1777472936000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Lactate conditioning reprograms mucosal-associated invariant T cell metabolism boosting effector function"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"215","author":[{"given":"Ardena","family":"Berisha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University , Maynooth, County Kildare,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Benjamin J","family":"Jenkins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School , Swansea,","place":["United Kingdom"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nidhi","family":"Kedia-Mehta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University , Maynooth, County Kildare,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eimear K","family":"Ryan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University , Maynooth, County Kildare,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shauna","family":"Mayock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University , Maynooth, County Kildare,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Odhran","family":"Ryan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University , Maynooth, County Kildare,","place":["Ireland"]},{"name":"St Vincent\u2019s University Hospital, University College Dublin , Dublin 4,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cian","family":"Davis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University , Maynooth, County Kildare,","place":["Ireland"]},{"name":"St Vincent\u2019s University Hospital, University College Dublin , Dublin 4,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Helen","family":"Heneghan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"St Vincent\u2019s University Hospital, University College Dublin , Dublin 4,","place":["Ireland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Donal","family":"O\u2019Shea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"St Vincent\u2019s University Hospital, University College Dublin , Dublin 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