Arginine Supplement May Boost Immune Detection of Cancer and Viruses, Mouse Study Finds

Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a mechanism by which the amino acid arginine influences the immune system's ability to recognize cancer cells and viral infections. The study, published in Cell, shows that arginine deficiency causes ribosomes to stall during production of MHC-1, a protein complex that displays abnormal or foreign peptides to T cells.

Lead author Qiushuang Wu, a postdoctoral fellow in Sohail Tavazoie's laboratory, found that 414 proteins were reduced under low-arginine conditions, including three HLA genes responsible for MHC-1 assembly. Because MHC-1 contains numerous arginine residues, its translation is particularly sensitive to arginine scarcity, resulting in fewer immune-activating signals on cell surfaces.

In mouse models of colon cancer, animals fed an arginine-supplemented diet developed fewer tumors than those on a low-arginine diet. The researchers note that the supplemental amount tested was roughly equivalent to a couple of over-the-counter arginine tablets in humans.

Collaborating with Charles Rice's virology laboratory, the team extended the findings to respiratory infections. Mice on arginine-rich diets showed milder symptoms from influenza and SARS-CoV-2, and administering arginine after influenza infection also improved outcomes, a result the authors described as surprising given the strength of the dietary effect.

Arginine levels naturally decline with age, and the researchers suggest this may partly explain increased susceptibility to certain cancers and severe viral illness in older populations. Tavazoie emphasized that arginine is inexpensive and widely available, making it a practical candidate for future clinical studies alongside immunotherapies or for high-risk groups exposed to viral pathogens.

The work was supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Institute for Global Infectious Disease Research and the Weill Cancer East Hub at Rockefeller University. The journal reference is Qiushuang Wu et al., Cell, 2026, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.07.020.