Regionalized immune surveillance relies on the concerted efforts of diverse memory T cell populations. Of these, tissue-resident memory T (T(RM)) cells are strategically positioned in barrier tissues, where they enable efficient frontline defense against infections and cancer. However, the long-term persistence of these cells has been implicated in a variety of immune-mediated pathologies. Consequently, modulating T(RM) cell populations represents an attractive strategy for novel vaccination and therapeutic interventions against tissue-based diseases. Here, we provide an updated overview of T(RM) cell heterogeneity and function across tissues and disease states. We discuss mechanisms of T(RM) cell-mediated immune protection and their potential contributions to autoimmune disorders. Finally, we examine how T(RM) cell responses might be durably boosted or dampened for therapeutic gain.
Author Info:
(1) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; email: susan.christo
@unimelb.edu.au, lkmackay@unimelb.edu.au. (2) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; email: susan.christo@unimelb.edu.au, lkmackay@unimelb.edu.au. Institute for Immunology and Immune Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. (3) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; email: susan.christo@unimelb.edu.au, lkmackay@unimelb.edu.au. (4) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; email: susan.christo@unimelb.edu.au, lkmackay@unimelb.edu.au.
Citation: Annu Rev Immunol 2024 Jun 42:317-345 Epub
