CD8 resident memory T cells (TRMs) represent a unique population of memory CD8 T cells that are retained permanently in the peripheral tissues without routinely circulating through blood and lymphoid tissues. These TRM cells are strategically positioned in barrier organs, including skin, lungs, intestines, and the reproductive tract, where they act as sentinels against pathogens and nascent tumors1,2. Upon pathogen detection, CD8 TRM cells rapidly release cytotoxic granules to directly eliminate infected cells while simultaneously secreting inflammatory cytokines that alert surrounding tissue cells and recruit circulating immune effectors to contain pathogen dissemination3,4. The effectiveness of CD8 TRMs in antipathogen immunity as well as cancer immunotherapy has already been demonstrated5,6. Accordingly, positioning an abundant quantity of functionally competent CD8 TRM in barrier mucosal tissues is a crucial goal for vaccines and immunotherapeutic strategies.
The formation and maintenance of CD8 TRM in peripheral organs is critically dependent on local tissue-specific programming. These local environmental cues include unique tissue-derived cytokines and metabolic agents, as well as intercellular interactions that collectively enforce the tissue-specific TRM identity7,8,9. This tissue programming allows TRM to adapt to tissue-specific demands in the execution of their immunosurveillance duties. However, our understanding of the nature of these interactions is incomplete, owing to the lack of robust model systems that faithfully capture these processes. Small animal models, while being very informative, often suffer from a highly interconnected, complex web of interactions that thwart rapid high-throughput studies.
Here, we describe an in vitro alternative to the mouse model that will allow investigation into the molecular details of epithelial cell-derived cues behind CD8 TRM differentiation. By co-culturing preformed vaginal epithelial organoids (VEOs) with activated CD8 T cells, we generated CD8 TRM in vitro. A detailed description of the CD8 T cell activation and co-culture process will allow wider adoption of this process across tissues, leading to a greater understanding of cellular interactions shaping CD8 T cell memory in frontline tissues.