title: Emerging concepts in T follicular helper cell responses to malaria.
abstract: Antibody responses to malaria and candidate malaria vaccines are short-lived in children, leaving them susceptible to repeated malaria episodes. Because T follicular helper (TFH) cells provide critical help to B cells to generate long-lived antibody responses, they have become the focus of recent studies of Plasmodium-infected mice and humans. The emerging data converge on common themes, namely, that malaria-induced TH1cytokines are associated with the activation of (i) T-like memory TFHcells with impaired B cell helper function, and (ii) pre-TFHcells that acquire Th1-like features (T-bet expression, IFN-γ production), which impede their differentiation into fully functional TFHcells, thus resulting in germinal center dysfunction and suboptimal antibody responses. Deeper knowledge of TFHcells in malaria could illuminate strategies to improve vaccines through modulating TFHcell responses. This review summarizes emerging concepts in TFHcell responses to malaria.
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: hansen@wehi.edu.au.
authors.forename: Diana S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Malaria Infection Biology & Immunity Unit, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Nyamekye
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Obeng-Adjei
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ly
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Ioannidis
authors.affiliation: Malaria Infection Biology & Immunity Unit, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA. Electronic address: pcrompton@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Crompton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Antibody responses; B cells; Malaria; Protection; T follicular helper cells