Novel Finding on Memory T Cells May Provide Boost to Cancer Immunotherapy
Scientists report that they have shown conclusively that memory T cells responsible for long-term immune protection arise from effector CD8 T cells. The finding provides insight that should help researchers design more effective vaccines and expand cancer immunotherapies by aiding efforts to harness the immune cells to prevent or cure diseases. The study ( “Effector CD8 T cells dedifferentiate into long-lived memory cells ”) appears in Nature . Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Emory University School of Medicine led the research, which addressed a long-running debate about the origin of memory CD8 T cells. These white blood cells are essential for long-term immune protection. “Memory CD8 T cells that circulate in the blood and are present in lymphoid organs are an essential component of long-lived T cell immunity. These memory CD8 T cells remain poised to rapidly elaborate effector functions upon re-exposure to pathogens, but ...
Original Article: Novel Finding on Memory T Cells May Provide Boost to Cancer Immunotherapy
