Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology have reported new findings on how tissue resident memory T cells develop and function. These immune cells help protect specific organs from viruses and other threats. The team, led by Dr. Pandurangan Vijayanand, identified a membrane receptor molecule called GPR25 as important in the transformation of regular memory T cells into resident memory T cells.
The study, published in Science Immunology, showed that mice without GPR25 could not maintain normal populations of these T cells. This result suggests that targeting GPR25 may help improve immune responses against infections, tumors, and autoimmune diseases, where T cells can contribute to inflammation…