Credit: University of Missouri's Ben Stewart
Key points:
- Researchers manipulated a molecular signaling pathway in T-cells to increase the strength and longevity of immune system memory.
- Strengthening T-cells and increasing their longevity can help the immune system fight against infection and lessen infection severity.
- Clinical treatments targeting the signaling pathway are a starting point for improving therapeutics for cancer, autoimmunity, and respiratory infections.
Memory T-cells are necessary for immunological memory and an important component of efficient vaccines. In a recent study, published in Nature Communications, researchers found that manipulating one molecular signaling pathway in T-cells that helps clear influenza in the lungs leads to greater strength and longevity of immunological memory.
“Immunologists like myself have always wondered why T-cells in the lungs after influenza infection disappear so quickly,” said study author Emma Teixeiro. “In this study, we have identified novel ways to improve the generation and long-term maintenance of protective immunity against influenza and that is by manipulating a molecular target known as the IKK2/NFkB signaling pathway.”
The results may support future development of effective vaccines and therapeutics to combat influenza and other respiratory infections. T-cells recognize parts of viruses that do not mutate so strengthening T-cells and increasing their longevity would help the immune system fight against infection and lessen severity.
The researchers’ ultimate goal is to increase the body’s immunological memory. By gaining knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that regulate T-cell memory, they have taken the first steps toward improving therapeutics for cancer, autoimmunity, and respiratory infections.
“The good news is there are already clinical treatments that do target this particular pathway we identified, so this study is a big step in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go,” said Teixeiro.