In vivo CRISPR screens identify the glutamine transporter SLC1A5 as a metabolic barrier to antitumor immunity.

In vivo CRISPR screens reveal that SLC1A5-mediated glutamine metabolism in tumor cells suppresses CD8 T cell responses and impairs immunotherapy efficacy.

• Why it matters: Understanding how tumor cells evade immune attack through metabolic reprogramming can identify new targets to improve cancer immunotherapy outcomes.
• What they did: The study used in vivo metabolic CRISPR screening to identify SLC1A5 as a key metabolic regulator that modulates tumor immune microenvironment and response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy.
• The result: Blocking SLC1A5 or its pathway could enhance CD8 T cell infiltration and function, suggesting SLC1A5 as a potential target to overcome tumor immune evasion.