Immune Determinants of T Cell Responses to Recall or De Novo Antigens

The field of immunology has long recognized the critical role of T cells in orchestrating immune responses against pathogens. Vaccines, as a cornerstone of public health, rely on both humoral and cellular immunity to confer protection. However, while antibody responses are frequently measured in vaccine studies, T cell responses are less commonly assessed due to the complexity of experimental procedures, lack of standardization, and lower sensitivity. This has resulted in a gap in understanding T cell-based correlates of protective immunity. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of baseline immune states in influencing the induction and maintenance of antigen-specific T-cell responses, whether from natural exposure or vaccination. Additionally, the burgeoning field of therapeutic cancer vaccines has underscored the need to understand T cell responses to tumor-associated antigens and neoantigens, with ongoing efforts to identify correlates with clinical outcomes. Despite these advances, there remains a substantial variability in T-cell response capabilities across populations, influenced by factors such as chronic viral infections or aging, which alter the immunological landscape. This variability necessitates further exploration into the immune determinants that dictate T cell responses.

This Research Topic aims to advance our understanding of the immune factors that influence T-cell responses during infection or vaccination.

To gather further insights into the immune determinants of T cell responses, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Immune predictors of T-cell responses during natural infection or vaccination.
- Novel assays or tools to study T-cell responses.
- Multi-omics studies that cover various layers of cellular processes to better understand the dynamics of T-cell responses.
- In vitro or in vivo studies delineating mechanisms that provide a rationale for strategies to improve T-cell responses.
- Adjuvant compounds to improve T-cell responses.
- Alterations in distinct T-cell subsets distribution and/or differentiation pathways and effects on responses to disease or vaccine antigens.
- Alterations in antigen-presentation pathways and effects on T-cell responses to disease or vaccine antigens.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Cellular mechanisms, Immune predictors, Natural immunity, T cell responses, Protective immunity, Vaccine

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.