Harnessing liver-resident memory T cells for protection against malaria.

INTRODUCTION

Tissue-resident memory T cells (T cells) are powerful mediators of protracted adaptive immunity to infection in peripheral organs. Harnessing T cells through vaccination hence promises unprecedented potential for protection against infection. A paramount example of this is malaria, a major infectious disease for which immunity through traditional vaccination strategies remains challenging. Liver T cells appear to be highly protective against malaria, and recent developments in our knowledge of the biology of these cells have defined promising, novel strategies for their induction.

AREAS COVERED

Here, we describe the path that led to the discovery of T cells and discuss the importance of liver T cells in immunity against spp. infection; we summarize current knowledge on T cell biology and discuss the current state and potential of T-based vaccination against malaria.

EXPERT OPINION

T based vaccination has emerged as a promising means to achieve efficient protection against malaria. Recent advances provide a solid basis for continuing the development of this area of research. Deeper understanding of the mechanisms that mediate T formation and maintenance and identification of immunogenic and protective target epitopes suitable for human vaccination remain the main challenges for translation of these discoveries.