Relevance of the T cell receptor-ligand avidity for immunity to infection

Cytotoxic lymphocytes are critical for fighting viral and certain bacterial infections. Therefore, assessing the quality of cytotoxic T cell responses might have important clinical implications. TCR-pMHC binding (avidity) is a key determinant of T cell quality. Here we review currently available technologies for the measurement of TCR-pMHC avidity and their potential relevance for translational applications.