Frontiers in Immunology (Sep 2021)

Follicular Helper T Cells in the Immunopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

  • Dawei Cui,
  • Yuan Tang,
  • Yuan Tang,
  • Qi Jiang,
  • Daixi Jiang,
  • Yun Zhang,
  • Yan Lv,
  • Dandan Xu,
  • Jian Wu,
  • Jue Xie,
  • Chengping Wen,
  • Liwei Lu,
  • Liwei Lu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.731100
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a serious infectious disease that has led to a global pandemic with high morbidity and mortality. High-affinity neutralizing antibody is important for controlling infection, which is closely regulated by follicular helper T (Tfh) cells. Tfh cells play a central role in promoting germinal center reactions and driving cognate B cell differentiation for antibody secretion. Available studies indicate a close relationship between virus-specific Tfh cell-mediated immunity and SARS-CoV-2 infection progression. Although several lines of evidence have suggested that Tfh cells contribute to the control of SARS-CoV-2 infection by eliciting neutralizing antibody productions, further studies are needed to elucidate Tfh-mediated effector mechanisms in anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity. Here, we summarize the functional features and roles of virus-specific Tfh cells in the immunopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and in COVID-19 vaccines, and highlight the potential of targeting Tfh cells as therapeutic strategy against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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