The emerging role of resident memory T cells in protective immunity and inflammatory disease

• Published in: Nature medicine Vol. 21; no. 7; pp. 688 - 697
• Main Authors: Park, Chang Ook, Kupper, Thomas S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01.07.2015; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/250; 692/420/256; 692/699/249/2510; Animals; Biology; Biomedicine; Cancer Research; Cellular biology; Development and progression; Genetic aspects; Human tissues; Humans; Immune response; Immunity; Immunity (Disease); Immunity - immunology; Immunologic Memory; Immunological memory; Infectious Diseases; Inflammation; Inflammation - immunology; Inflammation - pathology; Inflammatory diseases; Interfaces; Kidneys; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Memory cells; Metabolic Diseases; Models, Immunological; Molecular Medicine; Neoplasms - immunology; Neoplasms - pathology; Neurosciences; Physiological aspects; review-article; T cells; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Tissues; United States
• ISSN: 1078-8956; 1546-170X; 1546-170X
• DOI: 10.1038/nm.3883

Tissue-resident memory T cells are increasingly being linked to human tissue-specific immune and inflammatory disease. These roles are discussed in this review. Over the past decade, it has become clear that there is an important subset of memory T cells that resides in tissues—tissue-resident memory T (T RM ) cells. There is an emerging understanding that T RM cells have a role in human tissue-specific immune and inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, the nature of the molecular signals that maintain T RM cells in tissues is the subject of much investigation. In addition, whereas it is logical for T RM cells to be located in barrier tissues at interfaces with the environment, these cells have also been found in brain, kidney, joint and other non-barrier tissues in humans and mice. Given the biology and behavior of these cells, it is likely that they have a role in chronic relapsing and remitting diseases of both barrier and non-barrier tissues. In this Review we discuss recent insights into the biology of T RM cells with a particular focus on their roles in disease, both proven and putative.