Dendritic cells, T Cell and mait cells in immune responses : from cancer to viral infections

Speaker: Marion Humbert, Maître de Conférences UGA

The immune system relies on a diverse set of specialized cells to defend the body against both malignant and viral threats. This presentation will explore how three different immune cell types - dendritic cells (DCs), conventional T cells and mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells - contribute to protection or pathology in various immunological settings. 
The first part will focus on the role of DCs, with an emphasis on plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), in anti-tumor immunity. The second part will explore conventional T cell responses in anti-viral immunity, with a particular interest on pre-existing cross-reactive immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Finally, the last section will focus on emerging insights into the involvement of MAIT cells (unconventional T cells with innate-like properties) in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also known as “long COVID”. 
Together, these studies illustrate how distinct immune cell types function across immunological contexts and how understanding their roles may pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies.