Human Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells Are Defined by Core Transcriptional and Functional Signatures in Lymphoid and Mucosal Sites

Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRMs) in mice mediate optimal protective immunity to infection and vaccination, while in humans, the existence and properties of TRMs remain unclear. Here, we use a unique human tissue resource to determine whether human tissue memory T cells constitute a distinct subset in diverse mucosal and lymphoid tissues. We identify a core transcriptional profile within the CD69+ subset of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in lung and spleen that is distinct from that of CD69− TEM cells in tissues and circulation and defines human TRMs based on homology to the transcriptional profile of mouse CD8+ TRMs. Human TRMs in diverse sites exhibit increased expression of adhesion and inhibitory…

• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: 5P30DK063608, AI06697, HL116136, T32GM007367, S10OD020056, 1S10RR027050