Extracellular matrix protein 1 promotes follicular helper T cell differentiation and antibody production.

ABSTRACT: T-follicular helper (T_FH) cells are a subset of CD4⁺ helper T cells that help germinal center (GC) B-cell differentiation and high-affinity antibody production during germinal center reactions. Whether important extracellular molecules control T_FH differentiation is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that a secreted protein extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) is critical for T_FH differentiation and antibody response. A lack of ECM1 inhibited T_FH cell development and impaired GC B-cell reactions and antigen-specific antibody production in an antigen-immunized mouse model. ECM1 was induced by IL-6 and IL-21 in T_FH cells, promoting T_FH differentiation by down-regulating the level of STAT5 phosphorylation an

SUBMITTER: He L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6112729 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature