title: Higher Frequency of Circulating PD-1(high) CXCR5(+)CD4(+) Tfh Cells in Patients with Chronic Schistosomiasis.
abstract: The current knowledge of immunological responses to schistosomiasis is insufficient for the development of vaccine and therapies. The role of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells in schistosome infections is not fully defined. The frequency of circulating Tfh cells and serum cytokine levels were analyzed in 11 patients with chronic schistosomiasis and 10 healthy controls (HC), who reside in an endemic area for Schistosomiasis japonicum. Significantly higher frequencies of circulating CXCR5(+) CD4(+) Tfh cells and higher expression levels of ICOS and PD-1 in CXCR5(+) CD4(+) Tfh cells were observed in patients with chronic schistosomiasis compared to HC. The levels of IL-21 in serum and the expression of IL-21 mRNA were higher in chronic schistosomiasis patients than in HC. Moreover, the frequency of circulating PD-1(high) CXCR5(+) CD4(+) Tfh cells positively correlated with the levels of IL-21 in serum from patients with chronic schistosomiasis. A positive correlation was also found between the frequency of PD-1(high) CXCR5(+) CD4(+) Tfh cells and the levels of soluble egg antigen (SEA)-specific antibodies in serum samples from the patient group. Our study is the first regarding Tfh cells in chronic human schistosomiasis and the finding indicate that PD-1(high) CXCR5(+) CD4(+)Tfh cells might play an important role in the production of specific antibodies in schistosomiasis. This study contributes to the understanding of immune response to schistosomiasis and may provide helpful support in vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China ; 2. Department of Pathogenic Biology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yumei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanjuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Yujuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhongying
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: 1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, China; WHO Collaborating Center for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai 200025, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D054380:Receptors, CXCR5
keywords: T follicular helper cells; blood.; schistosomiasis; specific antibody