<em>Plasmodium berghei</em> ANKA sporozoite infection induces the formation of liver-associated CD8 T cells that resemble tissue resident memory cells — ASN Events
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  3. Plasmodium berghei ANKA sporozoite infection induces the formation of liver-associated CD8 T cells that resemble tissue resident memory cells

Plasmodium berghei ANKA sporozoite infection induces the formation of liver-associated CD8 T cells that resemble tissue resident memory cells (#52)

Daniel Fernandez Ruiz 1 , Joel Ma 1 , Vanessa Mollard 2 , Angelika Sturm 2 , Anton Cozijnsen 2 , Lei Shong Lau 1 , Geoffrey I McFadden 2 , Francis R Carbone 1 , Brendan S Crabb 3 , William R Heath 1
  1. Peter Doherty Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  2. The School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  3. Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

T cell memory allows for the rapid generation of effective immune responses to previously encountered pathogens. Although most memory T cells recirculate through the body, a recently discovered subset, the tissue resident memory T cells (TRM), remains in the affected tissue after infection is cleared. By staying in the area most likely targeted by the pathogen in subsequent reinfections, TRM have the potential to elicit faster, more focused, responses than recirculating memory T cell subsets. We have found that following vaccination with irradiated Plasmodium berghei ANKA sporozoites, a population of memory T cells forms in the liver that closely resembles TRM described in other tissues such as the skin and brain. These liver-associated memory T cells (TLAM) are yet to be shown to be permanently resident in the liver and are characterised by the expression of high levels of CXCR6 and CD69, but low levels of KLRG1. TLAM are long lived and can be found in significant numbers more than 100 days after infection. Strategies to boost numbers of TLAM might be a more effective way to control liver-stage malaria than traditional vaccination strategies focused on generating circulating memory T cells.