A blend of broadly reactive and pathogen selected Vgamma4Vdelta1 T cell receptors confer broad bacterial reactivity of memory gamma delta T cells

Gamma delta T cells are critical immune mediators during infection, providing both rapid, innate-like functions and forming long-lasting populations capable of anamnestic responses. Although murine Vgamma4Vdelta1 T cells are largely considered innate immune cells, they have recently been reported to form long-lived memory populations with some specificity to the priming pathogen. As such, our understanding of memory Vgamma4Vdelta1 T cells remains limited and unresolved. This study revealed an unanticipated complexity in the specificity and recall of memory Vgamma4Vdelta1 T cells which encompass broadly reactive canonical and pathogen selected diverse Vdelta1 clones that contribute to memory responses. Consequently, this heterogeneous subset of memory gamma delta T cells uniquely responds to diverse pathogenic bacteria and might be harnessed for broad anti-infective vaccines or therapies.