A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseases

Abstract Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells in the skin play a critical role in early immune defense against pathogens entering via breaches such as arthropod bites. However, their specific induction through immunization strategies remains underexplored. We performed a scoping review following PRI...

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Main Authors: Janne Wouters, Aliana Saenz de la Torre Leal, Wim Adriaensen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Vaccines
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01189-8
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author Janne Wouters
Aliana Saenz de la Torre Leal
Wim Adriaensen
author_facet Janne Wouters
Aliana Saenz de la Torre Leal
Wim Adriaensen
author_sort Janne Wouters
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells in the skin play a critical role in early immune defense against pathogens entering via breaches such as arthropod bites. However, their specific induction through immunization strategies remains underexplored. We performed a scoping review following PRISMA guidelines to assess vaccination strategies capable of inducing skin TRM cells. Intradermal and skin scarification routes consistently induced skin TRM cells with 94–100% success rates, while viral vector, DNA-based, and live-attenuated vaccines were the most effective platforms, particularly when combined with adjuvants promoting local inflammation. CD69 and CD103 were the most frequently employed markers, despite significant methodological heterogeneity. Vaccine-induced TRM cells were shown to disseminate throughout the skin and confer durable protection, independent of circulating T cells. However, evidence is largely restricted to preclinical studies, underscoring the need for standardization of TRM cell identification and expanded human studies to translate these findings into clinical practice.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series npj Vaccines
spelling doaj-art-bfecd2f601c94ce5ac6a9363a65db4e62025-08-20T04:01:24ZengNature Portfolionpj Vaccines2059-01052025-07-0110111510.1038/s41541-025-01189-8A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseasesJanne Wouters0Aliana Saenz de la Torre Leal1Wim Adriaensen2Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical MedicineClinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical MedicineClinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical MedicineAbstract Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells in the skin play a critical role in early immune defense against pathogens entering via breaches such as arthropod bites. However, their specific induction through immunization strategies remains underexplored. We performed a scoping review following PRISMA guidelines to assess vaccination strategies capable of inducing skin TRM cells. Intradermal and skin scarification routes consistently induced skin TRM cells with 94–100% success rates, while viral vector, DNA-based, and live-attenuated vaccines were the most effective platforms, particularly when combined with adjuvants promoting local inflammation. CD69 and CD103 were the most frequently employed markers, despite significant methodological heterogeneity. Vaccine-induced TRM cells were shown to disseminate throughout the skin and confer durable protection, independent of circulating T cells. However, evidence is largely restricted to preclinical studies, underscoring the need for standardization of TRM cell identification and expanded human studies to translate these findings into clinical practice.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01189-8
spellingShingle Janne Wouters
Aliana Saenz de la Torre Leal
Wim Adriaensen
A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseases
npj Vaccines
title A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseases
title_full A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseases
title_fullStr A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseases
title_full_unstemmed A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseases
title_short A scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod-borne diseases
title_sort scoping review on the importance of vaccination strategies targeting skin imprinting for arthropod borne diseases
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01189-8
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