Study on FTY720 anticancer drug provoking endocytosis of amino acid transporters in yeast and human cells published in Scientific Reports

FTY720 is a drug causing death of several types of tumour cells. This effect is largely due to its ability to provoke endocytosis of several nutrient transporters. FTY720 also promotes endocytosis of amino acid permeases in yeast. In a study now published in Scientific Reports, Céline Barthelemy and coll. report that FTY720 inhibits the intrinsic activity of  transporters, in both yeast and human cells. This is coupled to rapid inhibition of the TORC1 kinase complex, in turn promoting endocytosis of the inactivated transporters. This study sheds new light on how FTY720 kills cancer cells.