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CXCR5+PD-1++ CD4+ T cells colonize infant intestines early in life and promote B cell maturation

  • Ana Jordan-Paiz
  • , Glòria Martrus
  • , Fenja L. Steinert
  • , Max Kaufmann
  • , Adrian F. Sagebiel
  • , Renée R. C. E. Schreurs
  • , Anne Rechtien
  • , Martin E. Baumdick
  • , Johannes M. Jung
  • , Kimberly J. Möller
  • , Lucy Wegner
  • , Cordula Grüttner
  • , Laura Richert
  • , Roland Thünauer
  • , Jennifer Schroeder-Schwarz
  • , Johannes B. van Goudoever
  • , Teunis B. H. Geijtenbeek
  • , Marcus Altfeld
  • , Steven T. Pals
  • , Daniel Perez
  • Paul L. Klarenbeek, Christian Tomuschat, Guido Sauter, Ingo Königs, Udo Schumacher, Manuel A. Friese, Nathaniel Melling, Konrad Reinshagen, Madeleine J. Bunders*
*Corresponding author for this work
  • Leibniz Institute of Virology
  • University of Hamburg
  • Amsterdam UMC
  • Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel Partner Site
  • Bordeaux Population Health  Centre de Recherche U1219
  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
  • Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity
  • Academic Medical Centre (AMC)
  • Amsterdam University Medical Centers

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Gastrointestinal infections are a major cause for serious clinical complications in infants. The induction of antibody responses by B cells is critical for protective immunity against infections and requires CXCR5+PD-1++ CD4+ T cells (TFH cells). We investigated the ontogeny of CXCR5+PD-1++ CD4+ T cells in human intestines. While CXCR5+PD-1++ CD4+ T cells were absent in fetal intestines, CXCR5+PD-1++ CD4+ T cells increased after birth and were abundant in infant intestines, resulting in significant higher numbers compared to adults. These findings were supported by scRNAseq analyses, showing increased frequencies of CD4+ T cells with a TFH gene signature in infant intestines compared to blood. Co-cultures of autologous infant intestinal CXCR5+PD-1+/−CD4+ T cells with B cells further demonstrated that infant intestinal TFH cells were able to effectively promote class switching and antibody production by B cells. Taken together, we demonstrate that functional TFH cells are numerous in infant intestines, making them a promising target for oral pediatric vaccine strategies.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)201-213
Number of pages13
JournalCellular & molecular immunology
Volume20
Issue number2
Early online date2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2023

Keywords

  • Antibodies
  • B cells
  • Intestine
  • Pediatrics
  • TFH cells

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