This Research Topic is the second volume in this series, "Immune Responses to Persistent or Recurrent Antigens: Implications for Immunological Memory and Immunotherapy". Please see volume I
here.
The field of immunology has long recognized immunological memory as a cornerstone of the adaptive immune response, crucial for long-term protection against infections. Traditionally, this memory is attributed to the clonal expansion of antigen-specific lymphocytes, which provide rapid and effective responses upon re-exposure to pathogens. However, recent studies have expanded this understanding to include innate immune cells, which can also exhibit memory-like responses through mechanisms such as epigenetic reprogramming. These findings suggest that innate immune cells, including macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, and NK cells, can undergo trained potentiation, enhancing their response to recurrent infections.
Despite these advances, significant gaps remain in understanding how immunological memory is altered under chronic conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, and persistent infections. These conditions can lead to memory cell exhaustion, particularly affecting vulnerable populations like the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. The deterioration of immune responses in these contexts is often linked to genetic and epigenetic changes driven by chronic antigen exposure, resulting in impaired immune function and increased susceptibility to infections.
This research topic aims to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying immune memory responses to persistent or recurrent antigens, with a focus on their implications for immunological memory and potential immunotherapeutic strategies. By investigating these processes, the research seeks to address critical questions about how chronic antigen exposure affects both innate and adaptive immune memory, and how these alterations contribute to disease progression and immune system dysfunction. The ultimate goal is to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention that can enhance immune resilience and improve health outcomes in affected populations.
To gather further insights in the complex interplay between immune memory and persistent antigenic challenges, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Innate and adaptive memory cell response to persistent antigens during chronic pathogen infections;
- Innate and adaptive memory cell responses to persistent self-antigens and/or DAMPs relevant in autoimmunity;
- Innate and adaptive memory cell responses to persistent cancer-derived antigens.