Antigen‐specific and cross‐reactive T cells in protection and disease

Abstract

SummaryHuman T cells have a diverse T‐cell receptor (TCR) repertoire that endows them with the ability to identify and defend against a broad spectrum of antigens. The universe of possible antigens that T cells may encounter, however, is even larger. To effectively surveil such a vast universe, the T‐cell repertoire must adopt a high degree of cross‐reactivity. Likewise, antigen‐specific and cross‐reactive T‐cell responses play pivotal roles in both protective and pathological immune responses in numerous diseases. In this review, we explore the implications of these antigen‐driven T‐cell responses, with a particular focus on CD8+ T cells, using infection, neurodegeneration, and cancer as examples. We also summarize recent technological advances that facilitate high‐throughput profiling of antigen‐specific and cross‐reactive T‐cell responses experimentally, as well as computational biology approaches that predict these interactions.