Abstract
Tissue-resident memory T (T(RM) ) cells are abundant in the memory T cell pool and remain resident in peripheral tissues, such as the skin, where they act as alarm sensors or cytotoxic killers. T(RM) cells persist long after the pathogen is eliminated and can respond rapidly upon reinfection with the same antigen. When aberrantly activated, skin-located T(RM) cells have a profound role in various skin disorders, including vitiligo and melanoma. Autoreactive T(RM) cells are present in human lesional vitiligo skin and mouse models of vitiligo, which suggests that targeting these cells could be effective as a durable treatment strategy for vitiligo. Furthermore, emerging evidence indicates that induction of melanoma-reactive T(RM) cells is needed to achieve effective protection against tumor growth. This review highlights seminal reports about skin-resident T cells, focusing mainly on their role in the context of vitiligo and melanoma, as well as their potential as therapeutic targets in both diseases.