Lymphatic vessel transit seeds cytotoxic resident memory T cells in skin draining lymph nodes.

Lymphatic transport shapes the homeostatic immune repertoire of lymph nodes (LNs). LN-resident memory T cells (T) play an important role in site-specific immune memory, yet how LN T form de novo after viral infection remains unclear. Here, we tracked the anatomical distribution of antiviral CD8 T cells as they seeded skin and LN T using a model of vaccinia virus-induced skin infection.

Lymphatic vessel transit seeds precursors to cytotoxic resident memory T cells in skin draining lymph nodes.

Resident memory T cells (T) provide rapid, localized protection in peripheral tissues to pathogens and cancer. While T are also found in lymph nodes (LN), how they develop during primary infection and their functional significance remains largely unknown. Here, we track the anatomical distribution of anti-viral CD8 T cells as they simultaneously seed skin and LN T using a model of skin infection with restricted antigen distribution.