T follicular helper cells in autoimmune diseases

Xindi Wei; Xiaoyin Niu

doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102976

T follicular helper cells in autoimmune diseases

J Autoimmun. 2023 Jan:134:102976. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102976. Epub 2022 Dec 14.

Authors

Xindi Wei¹, Xiaoyin Niu²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai, 200025, China; Department of Oral and Maxillo-facial Implantology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China.
² Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai, 200025, China. Electronic address: niuxiaoyin@163.com.

PMID: 36525939
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102976

Abstract

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells with the phenotype of mainly expressing surface molecules C-X-C motif chemokine receptor type 5 (CXCR5), inducible co-stimulator (ICOS), secreting cytokine interleukin-21 (IL-21) and requiring the transcription factor B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL-6) have been recently defined as a new subset of CD4⁺ T cells. They exist in germinal centers (GCs) of lymphoid organs and in peripheral blood. With the ability to promote B cell development, GC formation and antibody production, Tfh cells play critical roles in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), etc. The aberrant proliferation and function of Tfh cells will cause the pathological process like autoantibody production and tissue injury. In this paper, we review the recent advances in Tfh cell biology and their roles in autoimmune diseases, with a mention of their use as therapeutic targets, which will shed more light on the pathogenesis and treatment of certain autoimmune diseases.

Keywords: Autoantibody; Autoimmune disease; B cell; Follicular helper T cell; Interleukin-21.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Arthritis, Rheumatoid*
Cytokines
Germinal Center
Humans
T Follicular Helper Cells*
T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer

Substances

Cytokines