Coordinated expansion of memory T follicular helper and B cells mediates spontaneous clearance of HCV reinfection.

Follicular helper T cells are essential for helping in the maturation of B cells and the production of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) during primary viral infections. However, their role during recall responses is unclear. Here, we used hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection in humans as a model to study the recall collaborative interaction between circulating CD4 T follicular helper cells (cTfh) and memory B cells (MBCs) leading to the generation of NAbs. We evaluated this interaction longitudinally in subjects who have spontaneously resolved primary HCV infection during a subsequent reinfection episode that resulted in either another spontaneous resolution (SR/SR, Both groups exhibited virus-specific memory T cells that expanded upon reinfection. However, early expansion of activated cTfh (CD4 These results underscore a key role for early activation of cTfh1 cells in helping antigen-specific B cells to produce NAbs that mediate the clearance of HCV reinfection.

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Copyright © 2024 Eisa, Gomez-Escobar, Bédard, Abdeltawab, Flores, Mazouz, Fieffé-Bédard, Sakayan, Gridley, Abdel-Hakeem, Bruneau, Grakoui and Shoukry.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.