Role of B cells for the generation and maintenance of follicular B helper T cells
Final Report Abstract
TFH cells are a specialized subset of CD4 T cells that localize to B cell follicles and germinal centers (GC) in secondary lymphoid organs where they promote the differentiation of B cells into long-lived memory B cells and plasma cells and are crucial for high-affinity antibody responses. So far, it is relatively unexplored if TFH cells form a distinct memory cell population allowing for a quicker and more efficient immune response upon re-challenge with a specific antigen. In our studies we have been able to identify CXCR5 expressing memory CD4 T cells in the human peripheral blood as type of memory TFH cells, programmed for preferential recruitment to follicles and GCs and specialized to support B cell mediated immune responses. Given the predominant role of these cells in Ab-mediated immune responses, they may serve as a useful biomarker, for instance, to examine vaccination strategies or to stratify or monitor treatment of certain autoimmune or immunodeficiency patients. Currently, we are trying to find out if an equivalent specialized cell population is also present in mice, what would allow us to further study their migrational behaviour and specialized function in an “in vivo” setting. Moreover, we are examining fate, function and differentiation of TFH cells as well as the importance of the GC reaction and related functions in the autoimmune setting of rheumatoid arthritis.
Publications
- (2011) CXCR5 expressing human central memory CD4 T cells and their relevance for humoral immune responses. The Journal of Immunology, 2011 Apr 6. [Epub ahead of print]
Nina Chevalier, David Jarrossay, Edwin Ho, Danielle T. Avery, Cindy S. Ma, Di Yu, Federica Sallusto, Stuart G. Tangye and Charles R. Mackay
