Circadian control of antigen-specific T cell responses

The immune system is composed of two arms, the innate and the adaptive immunity. While the innate response constitutes the first line of defense and is not specific for a particular pathogen, the adaptive response is highly specific and allows for long-term memory of the pathogen encounter. T lymphocytes (or T cells) are central players in the adaptive immune response. Various aspects of T cell functions vary according to the time of day. Circadian clocks located in most tissues and cell types generate 24-hour rhythms of various physiological processes. These clocks are based on a set of clock genes, and this timing mechanism controls rhythmically the expression of numerous other genes. Clock genes are expressed in cells of the immune system, including T cells. In this review, we provide an overview of the circadian control of the adaptive immune response, with emphasis on T cells, including their development, trafficking, response to antigen, and effector functions.