Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacement

Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) protect from repeat infections within organs and barrier sites. The breadth and duration of such protection are defined at minimum by three quantities: the rate at which new TRM are generated from precursors, their rate of self-renewal, and their rate of loss thr...

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Main Authors: Jodie Chandler, M Elise Bullock, Arpit C Swain, Cayman Williams, Christiaan H van Dorp, Benedict Seddon, Andrew J Yates
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025-06-01
Series:eLife
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Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/104278
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author Jodie Chandler
M Elise Bullock
Arpit C Swain
Cayman Williams
Christiaan H van Dorp
Benedict Seddon
Andrew J Yates
author_facet Jodie Chandler
M Elise Bullock
Arpit C Swain
Cayman Williams
Christiaan H van Dorp
Benedict Seddon
Andrew J Yates
author_sort Jodie Chandler
collection DOAJ
description Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) protect from repeat infections within organs and barrier sites. The breadth and duration of such protection are defined at minimum by three quantities: the rate at which new TRM are generated from precursors, their rate of self-renewal, and their rate of loss through death, egress, or differentiation. Quantifying these processes individually is challenging. Here we combine genetic fate mapping tools and mathematical models to untangle these basic homeostatic properties of CD4+ TRM in the skin and gut lamina propria (LP) of healthy adult mice. We show that CD69+CD4+ TRM in skin reside for ∼24 days and self-renew more slowly, such that clones halve in size approximately every 5 weeks, and approximately 2% of cells are replaced daily from precursors. CD69+CD4+ TRM in LP have shorter residencies (∼14 days) and are maintained largely by immigration (4–6% per day). We also find evidence that the continuous replacement of CD69+CD4+ TRM at both sites derives from circulating effector-memory CD4+ T cells, in skin possibly via a local CD9− intermediate. Our approach maps the ontogeny of CD4+ TRM in skin and LP and exposes their dynamic and distinct behaviours, with continuous seeding and erosion potentially impacting the duration of immunity at these sites.
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-81ba53268ae1457aa3e89766adff93a32025-08-20T03:26:53ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-06-011410.7554/eLife.104278Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacementJodie Chandler0M Elise Bullock1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7876-4938Arpit C Swain2Cayman Williams3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0518-1379Christiaan H van Dorp4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7504-9947Benedict Seddon5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4352-3373Andrew J Yates6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4606-4483Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, United KingdomDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United StatesDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United StatesInstitute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, United KingdomDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United StatesInstitute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, UCL, Royal Free Hospital, London, United KingdomDepartment of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, United StatesTissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) protect from repeat infections within organs and barrier sites. The breadth and duration of such protection are defined at minimum by three quantities: the rate at which new TRM are generated from precursors, their rate of self-renewal, and their rate of loss through death, egress, or differentiation. Quantifying these processes individually is challenging. Here we combine genetic fate mapping tools and mathematical models to untangle these basic homeostatic properties of CD4+ TRM in the skin and gut lamina propria (LP) of healthy adult mice. We show that CD69+CD4+ TRM in skin reside for ∼24 days and self-renew more slowly, such that clones halve in size approximately every 5 weeks, and approximately 2% of cells are replaced daily from precursors. CD69+CD4+ TRM in LP have shorter residencies (∼14 days) and are maintained largely by immigration (4–6% per day). We also find evidence that the continuous replacement of CD69+CD4+ TRM at both sites derives from circulating effector-memory CD4+ T cells, in skin possibly via a local CD9− intermediate. Our approach maps the ontogeny of CD4+ TRM in skin and LP and exposes their dynamic and distinct behaviours, with continuous seeding and erosion potentially impacting the duration of immunity at these sites.https://elifesciences.org/articles/104278tissue-resident memory T cellsmathematical modellingfate mapping
spellingShingle Jodie Chandler
M Elise Bullock
Arpit C Swain
Cayman Williams
Christiaan H van Dorp
Benedict Seddon
Andrew J Yates
Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacement
eLife
tissue-resident memory T cells
mathematical modelling
fate mapping
title Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacement
title_full Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacement
title_fullStr Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacement
title_full_unstemmed Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacement
title_short Tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells are sustained by site-specific levels of self-renewal and continuous replacement
title_sort tissue resident memory cd4 t cells are sustained by site specific levels of self renewal and continuous replacement
topic tissue-resident memory T cells
mathematical modelling
fate mapping
url https://elifesciences.org/articles/104278
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