在体液免疫应答过程中，效应B细胞介导的免疫应答常常需要表达CD4+的T细胞的辅助。通常，人们认为CD4+T细胞的亚类中，T细胞滤泡（T follicular）辅助细胞（简称：TFH）是为效应B细胞提供辅助的主要细胞。
然而，关于TFH细胞的分化机制却一直未明。Shane Crotty研究小组发现，小鼠动物试验结果表明，转录因子Bcl6是维系TFH细胞分化的关键因素。而Blimp-1是与Bcl6作用相反的转录因子，它抑制B细胞发生效应分泌抗体蛋白。
这些研究结果表明，TFH细胞是维持抗体分泌的重要细胞，而Bcl6以及Blimp-1两种转录因子是调控抗体分泌的关键转录因子。这些成果有利于设计更好的疫苗。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Science July 16, 2009 DOI: 10.1126/science.1175870
Bcl6 and Blimp-1 Are Reciprocal and Antagonistic Regulators of T Follicular Helper Cell Differentiation
Robert J. Johnston 1, Amanda C. Poholek 2, Daniel DiToro 3, Isharat Yusuf 3, Danelle Eto 3, Burton Barnett 3, Alexander L. Dent 4, Joe Craft 5, Shane Crotty 1*
1 Division of Vaccine Discovery, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (LIAI), 9420 Athena Circle, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.; Department of Medicine, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
2 Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
3 Division of Vaccine Discovery, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (LIAI), 9420 Athena Circle, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
4 Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Walther Oncology Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
5 Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.; Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
Effective B cell–mediated immunity and antibody responses often require help from CD4+ T cells. It is thought that a distinct CD4+ effector T cell subset, called T follicular helper cells (TFH), provides this help; however, the molecular requirements for TFH differentiation are unknown. Here, we show that expression of the transcription factor Bcl6 in CD4+ T cells is both necessary and sufficient for in vivo TFH differentiation and T cell help to B cells in mice. In contrast, the transcription factor Blimp-1, an antagonist of Bcl6, inhibits TFH differentiation and help, thereby preventing B cell germinal center and antibody responses. These findings demonstrate that TFH are required for proper B cell responses in vivo and that Bcl6 and Blimp-1 play central yet opposing roles in TFH differentiation.
