Journal of Vaccine Research 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 32-39 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/jvr 36 The presence of immune memory cells contributes to maintaining treatment effectiveness. In some immunotherapies, especially with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, patients may experience prolonged periods of stability or partial remission. This is associated with the existence and activity of immune memory cells, which play a crucial role in sustaining immune responses and controlling tumor growth. The presence of immune memory cells also provides an opportunity for personalized treatment. By gaining a deeper understanding of the patient's immune memory cell repertoire, doctors can better select appropriate immunotherapy strategies, thereby enhancing the level of individualization and efficacy in treatment. 2.3 Relationship between allergic reactions and immune memory cells There is a close relationship between allergic reactions and immune memory cells. Allergic reactions are an exaggerated response of the immune system to substances (allergens) that are usually harmless to the body. This reaction involves various cells and molecules in the immune system, with immune memory cells playing a specific role in allergic reactions. The occurrence of allergic reactions is related to the immune system developing allergic memory against antigens. Upon the initial exposure to an allergen, the body's immune system forms immune memory for that allergen, including memory B cells and memory T cells. These cells store information about the allergen, preparing for a more rapid and intense immune response upon future exposures. In allergic reactions, the heightened sensitivity of immune memory cells to specific allergens is a crucial factor. Allergens are typically common substances that should be harmless, but the immune system mistakenly identifies them as threats. Allergic B cells and T cells in immune memory cells generate exaggerated and unconventional immune responses to allergens. Unlike conventional infections, the memory aspect of allergic reactions is more pronounced. Once the immune system forms immune memory for a particular allergen, upon subsequent exposure to that allergen, the immune system rapidly initiates an allergic reaction, leading to quick and intense symptom manifestation. The rapid and intense nature of this allergic reaction is closely associated with the presence and activity of immune memory cells. In certain situations, the immune system's response to allergens may become excessively sensitive, leading to the occurrence of allergic reactions. This could involve abnormal activation or dysregulation of immune memory cells, causing them to trigger allergic reactions under circumstances where it wouldn't normally occur. 3 Regulation Mechanisms of Immune Memory Cells 3.1 Maintenance of immune memory The maintenance of immune memory refers to the immune system's long-term retention of memory for antigens from previous infections or vaccinations. This ensures a quicker and more effective response upon re-encountering the same antigen. This process involves the coordinated action of multiple cell types and molecular mechanisms. Immune memory cells have a relatively long lifespan. They can enter a dormant state, known as quiescence, to maintain prolonged survival. During the maintenance phase, when needed, these cells can be reactivated and enter a proliferative state to increase their numbers, enhancing the effectiveness of immune memory. The maintenance of immune memory cells is closely regulated by various cytokines. Cytokines are proteins produced by immune cells that play a role in signal transduction during immune responses. Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is a particularly important cytokine that can promote the survival and proliferation of immune memory cells (Liu et al., 2018). The maintenance of immune memory involves long-term regulatory mechanisms. Specific gene expression, changes in chromatin structure, and the regulation of epigenetics play crucial roles in sustaining immune memory. These long-term regulatory mechanisms ensure that immune memory cells remain active for years or even a lifetime. When immune memory cells encounter the same antigen again, they are reactivated, rapidly proliferate, and differentiate into effector cells to respond to the infection. This reactivation process helps refresh the immune memory, maintaining an efficient response to the antigen.
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