Holding our breath: The promise of tissue-resident memory T cells in lung cancer
- Author(s)
- Marceaux, C; Weeden, CE; Gordon, CL; Asselin-Labat, ML;
- Details
- Publication Year 2021,Volume 10,Issue #6,Page 2819-2829
- Journal Title
- Translational Lung Cancer Research
- Abstract
- T cell memory is critical in controlling infection and plays an important role in anti-tumor responses in solid cancers. While effector memory and central memory T cells circulate and patrol non-lymphoid and lymphoid organs respectively, tissue resident memory T cells (TRM) permanently reside in tissues and provide local protective immune responses. In a number of solid tumors, tumor-specific T cell memory responses likely play an important role in keeping tumors in check, limiting cancer cell dissemination and reducing risk of relapse. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a subset of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) display phenotypic and functional characteristics associated with lung TRM (TRM-like TILs), including the expression of tissue-specific homing molecules and immune exhaustion markers. High infiltration of TRM-like TILs correlates with better survival outcomes for lung cancer patients, indicating that TRM-like TILs may contribute to anti-tumor responses. However, a number of TRM-like TILs do not display tumor specificity and the exact role of TRM-like TILs in mediating anti-tumor response in lung cancer is unclear. Here we review the characteristics of TRM-like TILs in lung cancer, the role these cells play in mediating anti-tumor immunity and the therapeutic implications of TRM-like TILs in the use and development of immunotherapy for lung cancer. © 2021 AME Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
- Publisher
- AME Publishing Company
- Keywords
- Immunosurveillance; Immunotherapy; Lung cancer; Tissue-resident memory T cells
- Research Division(s)
- Personalised Oncology
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.21037/tlcr-20-819
- Open Access at Publisher's Site
https://doi.org/10.21037/tlcr-20-819- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 2021-07-20 11:18:11
Last Modified: 2021-07-20 12:54:12