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Cytokines in Follicular Helper T Cell Biology in Physiologic and Pathologic Conditions

  • Jinyong Choi (Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Shane Crotty (Center for Vaccine Innovation, La Jolla Institute for Immunology) ;
  • Youn Soo Choi (Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2023.12.31
  • Accepted : 2024.01.27
  • Published : 2024.02.29
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Abstract

Follicular helper T cells (Tfh) play a crucial role in generating high-affinity antibodies (Abs) and establishing immunological memory. Cytokines, among other functional molecules produced by Tfh, are central to germinal center (GC) reactions. This review focuses on the role of cytokines, including IL-21 and IL-4, in regulating B cell responses within the GC, such as differentiation, affinity maturation, and plasma cell development. Additionally, this review explores the impact of other cytokines like CXCL13, IL-10, IL-9, and IL-2 on GC responses and their potential involvement in autoimmune diseases, allergies, and cancer. This review highlights contributions of Tfh-derived cytokines to both protective immunity and immunopathology across a spectrum of diseases. A deeper understanding of Tfh cytokine biology holds promise for insights into biomedical conditions.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Catholic Medical Center Research Foundation made in the program year 2022 and 2023 (Choi J), by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (2023R1A2C1007319 to Choi J; RS-2023-00258956 to Choi YS), and by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) P01 AI145815, and internal LJI institutional funds to Crotty S.

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