| First Author | Bossaller L | Year | 2006 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 177 |
| Issue | 7 | Pages | 4927-32 |
| PubMed ID | 16982935 | Mgi Jnum | J:139302 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3807727 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.177.7.4927 |
| Citation | Bossaller L, et al. (2006) ICOS deficiency is associated with a severe reduction of CXCR5+CD4 germinal center Th cells. J Immunol 177(7):4927-32 |
| abstractText | ICOS is expressed on activated T cells and particularly on CXCR5+ follicular Th cells in germinal centers (GC). Its deletion leads to a profound deficiency in memory B cell formation and switched Ab response in humans. Here, we show that in ICOS-deficient patients the generation of GCs is severely disturbed, and the numbers of circulating CXCR5+CD45RO+ memory CD4 T cells are significantly reduced, indicating an essential role of ICOS in the differentiation of CXCR5+CD4 T cells. The GC-specific CD57+CXCR5+ subpopulation is virtually absent. In ICOS-/- mice, the decrease of circulating CXCR5+CD4 T cells reflects the reduction of CXCR5+ follicular Th cells in lymph nodes and spleen. Therefore, in concurrence with the absence of CXCR5+ T cells in the blood of CD40L-deficient patients, these data support the hypothesis that circulating CD57+CXCR5+ T cells are GC derived and thus may serve as a surrogate marker for the presence of functional GCs in humans. |
