Adoptive transfer of effector CD8+ T cells derived from central memory cells establishes persistent T cell memory in primates

The adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T cells that have been expanded ex vivo is being actively pursued to treat infections and malignancy in humans. The T cell populations that are available for adoptive immunotherapy include both effector memory and central memory cells, and these differ in phenotype, function, and homing. The efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy requires that transferred T cells persist in vivo, but identifying T cells that can reproducibly survive in vivo after they have been numerically expanded by in vitro culture has proven difficult. Here we show that in macaques, antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell clones derived from central memory T cells, but not effector memory T cells, persisted…

• CR
  Cancer Research Institute
• SO
  School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: CA18029, CA30206, R01CA114536, P30CA33572
• SO
  School of Medicine, Stanford University
• CI
  Canadian Institutes of Health Research

  Awards: MOP38075, GMH79042