Hsp90 contains a natural immunogenic I-A-restricted antigen common to rodent and human species.

Thorough understanding of the role of CD4 T cells in immunity can be greatly assisted by the study of responses to defined specificities. This requires knowledge of -derived immunogenic epitopes, of which only a few have been identified, especially for the mouse C57BL/6 background. We recently developed a TCR transgenic mouse line, termed PbT-II, that produces CD4 T cells specific for an MHC class II (I-A)-restricted epitope and is responsive to both sporozoites and blood-stage .

Ptpn2 and KLRG1 regulate the generation and function of tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells in skin.

Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM cells) are key elements of tissue immunity. Here, we investigated the role of the regulator of T cell receptor and cytokine signaling, Ptpn2, in the formation and function of TRM cells in skin. Ptpn2-deficient CD8+ T cells displayed a marked defect in generating CD69+ CD103+ TRM cells in response to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) skin infection.

Development of Plasmodium-specific liver-resident memory CD8 T cells after heat-killed sporozoite immunization in mice.

Malaria remains a major cause of mortality in the world and an efficient vaccine is the best chance of reducing the disease burden. Vaccination strategies for the liver stage of disease that utilise injection of live radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS) confer sterile immunity, which is mediated by CD8 memory T cells, with liver-resident memory T cells (T ) being particularly important. We have previously described a TCR transgenic mouse, termed PbT-I, where all CD8 T cells recognize a specific peptide from Plasmodium.

Resident Memory T Cells and Their Role within the Liver.

Immunological memory is fundamental to maintain immunity against re-invading pathogens. It is the basis for prolonged protection induced by vaccines and can be mediated by humoral or cellular responses-the latter largely mediated by T cells. Memory T cells belong to different subsets with specialized functions and distributions within the body.

Glycolipid-peptide vaccination induces liver-resident memory CD8 T cells that protect against rodent malaria.

Liver resident-memory CD8 T cells (T cells) can kill liver-stage -infected cells and prevent malaria, but simple vaccines for generating this important immune population are lacking. Here, we report the development of a fully synthetic self-adjuvanting glycolipid-peptide conjugate vaccine designed to efficiently induce liver T cells. Upon cleavage in vivo, the glycolipid-peptide conjugate vaccine releases an MHC I-restricted peptide epitope (to stimulate -specific CD8 T cells) and an adjuvant component, the NKT cell agonist α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer).

A Natural Peptide Antigen within the Plasmodium Ribosomal Protein RPL6 Confers Liver T Cell-Mediated Immunity against Malaria in Mice.

Liver-resident memory CD8 T (T) cells remain in and constantly patrol the liver to elicit rapid immunity upon antigen encounter and can mediate efficient protection against liver-stage Plasmodium infection. This finding has prompted the development of immunization strategies where T cells are activated in the spleen and then trapped in the liver to form T cells. Here, we identify PbRPL6, a H2-K-restricted epitope from the putative 60S ribosomal protein L6 (RPL6) of Plasmodium berghei ANKA, as an optimal antigen for endogenous liver T cell generation and protection against malaria.

Development of a Novel CD4 TCR Transgenic Line That Reveals a Dominant Role for CD8 Dendritic Cells and CD40 Signaling in the Generation of Helper and CTL Responses to Blood-Stage Malaria.

We describe an MHC class II (I-A)-restricted TCR transgenic mouse line that produces CD4 T cells specific for species. This line, termed PbT-II, was derived from a CD4 T cell hybridoma generated to blood-stage ANKA (PbA). PbT-II cells responded to all species and stages tested so far, including rodent (PbA, NK65, AS, and 17XNL) and human () blood-stage parasites as well as irradiated PbA sporozoites.