Downregulated IL-21 Response and T Follicular Helper Cell Exhaustion Correlate with Compromised CD8 T Cell Immunity during Chronic Toxoplasmosis.

ABSTRACT: CD8 T cells are important for maintaining the chronicity of Toxoplasma gondii infection. In a T. gondii encephalitis susceptible model, we recently demonstrated that CD4 T cells play an essential helper role in the maintenance of the effector response and CD8 T cell dysfunctionality was linked to CD4 T cell exhaustion. However, CD4 T cells are constituted of different subsets with various functions and the population(s) providing help to the CD8 T cells has not yet been determined. In the present study, T follicular helper cells (Tfh), which are known to be essential for B cell maturation and are one of the main sources of IL-21, were significantly increased during chronic toxoplasmosis. However, at week 7 p.i., when CD8 T cells are exhausted, the Tfh population exhibited inc

SUBMITTER: Moretto MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5671557 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature