Human lung tissue resident memory T cells in health and disease
Highlights•Tissue resident memory T cells (TRM) are prevalent in the lung and other
mucosal sites.•Lung TRM localize throughout the tissue, persisting in constant frequencies
over decades.•Lung TRM are enriched in specificities for respiratory pathogens.•Human
lung TRM can persist in transplanted lungs and are associated with better outcomes.•Lung
TRM can participate in anti-tumor immunity and chronic airway inflammation.The human
lung contains a heterogeneous population of immune cells which mediate protective …
mucosal sites.•Lung TRM localize throughout the tissue, persisting in constant frequencies
over decades.•Lung TRM are enriched in specificities for respiratory pathogens.•Human
lung TRM can persist in transplanted lungs and are associated with better outcomes.•Lung
TRM can participate in anti-tumor immunity and chronic airway inflammation.The human
lung contains a heterogeneous population of immune cells which mediate protective …
Highlights
- Tissue resident memory T cells (TRM) are prevalent in the lung and other mucosal sites.
- Lung TRM localize throughout the tissue, persisting in constant frequencies over decades.
- Lung TRM are enriched in specificities for respiratory pathogens.
- Human lung TRM can persist in transplanted lungs and are associated with better outcomes.
- Lung TRM can participate in anti-tumor immunity and chronic airway inflammation.
The human lung contains a heterogeneous population of immune cells which mediate protective responses, maintain tissue homeostasis, but can also promote immunopathology in disease. The majority of T cells in the human lung are tissue resident memory T cells (T RM) which have been shown in mouse models to provide vital roles in the protection against multiple respiratory pathogens, and contribute to heterosubtypic protection in the context of vaccination. In this review, we will discuss recent studies in humans identifying lung TRM, their role in maintaining tissue homeostasis, and emerging evidence implicating T RM in anti-tumor immunity and immune surveillance as well as their potential for immunopathology in chronic airway inflammation.
Elsevier