Distinct tissue niches contribute to prostate tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cell differentiation and heterogeneity

The prostate is an important exocrine organ, a barrier tissue of the male reproductive system, and a common site of malignancy, yet CD8⁺ T cells in the prostate remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we show that a protective, heterogeneous pool of long-lived, tissue-resident memory CD8⁺ T (Trm) cells forms in the prostate following acute infection in mice. Characterization of prostate Trm cell differentiation over time, combined with functional interrogation of TGFβ, IL-7, and IL-15 signaling, revealed niche-dependent phenotypic and functional diversity arising from distinct prostate stromal and glandular epithelial niches in both mice and humans. For instance, the Trm-promoting cytokines IL-15 and TGFβ were highest in the prostate epithelium, where CD8⁺ T cells were most persistent, cytotoxic, and enriched for the Trm molecular program. In sum, we provide a spatial framework for prostate Trm cell differentiation, charting the discrete tissue regions that influence T cell fate through dynamic regulation of localized signals.