Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer Vaccines

Memory T cells are essential for effective and durable immune responses, as they provide long-term immunological surveillance and rapid reactivity upon re-exposure to a given pathogen or cancer cell. In solid tumors, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) often hinders immune activation,...

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Main Authors: Abolaji Samson Olagunju, Maribel Limachi Loza, Marielly Câmara Rocha, Gustavo P. Amarante-Mendes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IMR Press 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark
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Online Access:https://www.imrpress.com/journal/FBL/30/7/10.31083/FBL36329
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author Abolaji Samson Olagunju
Maribel Limachi Loza
Marielly Câmara Rocha
Gustavo P. Amarante-Mendes
author_facet Abolaji Samson Olagunju
Maribel Limachi Loza
Marielly Câmara Rocha
Gustavo P. Amarante-Mendes
author_sort Abolaji Samson Olagunju
collection DOAJ
description Memory T cells are essential for effective and durable immune responses, as they provide long-term immunological surveillance and rapid reactivity upon re-exposure to a given pathogen or cancer cell. In solid tumors, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) often hinders immune activation, making enhancing memory T cell formation and persistence a key goal in cancer immunotherapy. Novel strategies are exploring ways to support these memory T cells, including using Listeria monocytogenes as a cancer vaccine vector. Notably, L. monocytogenes has unique properties that make it an ideal candidate for this purpose: it is highly effective at activating T cells, promoting the differentiation and survival of memory T cells, and modulating the TME to favor immune cell function. Thus, by leveraging the ability of L. monocytogenes to induce a strong, sustained T-cell response, researchers aim to develop vaccines that provide lasting immunity against tumors, reduce recurrence rates, and improve patient survival outcomes. This mini-review highlights the potential of memory T cell-focused cancer immunotherapy and the promising role of L. monocytogenes in advancing these efforts.
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series Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark
spelling doaj-art-ae5cf602d7ef4c0aac9194632d28a82c2025-08-20T02:56:26ZengIMR PressFrontiers in Bioscience-Landmark2768-67012025-07-013073632910.31083/FBL36329S2768-6701(25)01669-7Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer VaccinesAbolaji Samson Olagunju0Maribel Limachi Loza1Marielly Câmara Rocha2Gustavo P. Amarante-Mendes3Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-000 São Paulo, BrazilDepartamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-000 São Paulo, BrazilDepartamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-000 São Paulo, BrazilDepartamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-000 São Paulo, BrazilMemory T cells are essential for effective and durable immune responses, as they provide long-term immunological surveillance and rapid reactivity upon re-exposure to a given pathogen or cancer cell. In solid tumors, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) often hinders immune activation, making enhancing memory T cell formation and persistence a key goal in cancer immunotherapy. Novel strategies are exploring ways to support these memory T cells, including using Listeria monocytogenes as a cancer vaccine vector. Notably, L. monocytogenes has unique properties that make it an ideal candidate for this purpose: it is highly effective at activating T cells, promoting the differentiation and survival of memory T cells, and modulating the TME to favor immune cell function. Thus, by leveraging the ability of L. monocytogenes to induce a strong, sustained T-cell response, researchers aim to develop vaccines that provide lasting immunity against tumors, reduce recurrence rates, and improve patient survival outcomes. This mini-review highlights the potential of memory T cell-focused cancer immunotherapy and the promising role of L. monocytogenes in advancing these efforts.https://www.imrpress.com/journal/FBL/30/7/10.31083/FBL36329memory t cellslisteria monocytogenescancer vaccinescd8+ t lymphocytes
spellingShingle Abolaji Samson Olagunju
Maribel Limachi Loza
Marielly Câmara Rocha
Gustavo P. Amarante-Mendes
Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer Vaccines
Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark
memory t cells
listeria monocytogenes
cancer vaccines
cd8+ t lymphocytes
title Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer Vaccines
title_full Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer Vaccines
title_fullStr Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer Vaccines
title_full_unstemmed Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer Vaccines
title_short Memory T Cells, Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes, and Cancer Vaccines
title_sort memory t cells recombinant listeria monocytogenes and cancer vaccines
topic memory t cells
listeria monocytogenes
cancer vaccines
cd8+ t lymphocytes
url https://www.imrpress.com/journal/FBL/30/7/10.31083/FBL36329
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AT maribellimachiloza memorytcellsrecombinantlisteriamonocytogenesandcancervaccines
AT mariellycamararocha memorytcellsrecombinantlisteriamonocytogenesandcancervaccines
AT gustavopamarantemendes memorytcellsrecombinantlisteriamonocytogenesandcancervaccines