Cited by 735SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchT-cell and B-cell ImmunologyCOVID-19 Clinical Research Studies

Loss of Bcl-6-Expressing T Follicular Helper Cells and Germinal Centers in COVID-19

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Kaneko, Naoki, Kuo, Hsiao-Hsuan, Boucau, Julie, Farmer, Jocelyn R., Allard-Chamard, Hugues, Mahajan, Vinay S., Piechocka-Trocha, Alicja, Lefteri, Kristina +43 more·2020·Cell

Abstract

Humoral responses in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are often of limited durability, as seen with other human coronavirus epidemics. To address the underlying etiology, we examined post mortem thoracic lymph nodes and spleens in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and observed the absence of germinal centers and a striking reduction in Bcl-6+ germinal center B cells but preservation of AID+ B cells. Absence of germinal centers correlated with an early specific block in Bcl-6+ T FH cell differentiation together with an increase in T-bet+ T H1 cells and aberrant extra-follicular TNF-α accumulation. Parallel peripheral blood studies revealed loss of transitional and follicular B cells in severe disease and accumulation of SARS-CoV-2-specific "disease-related" B cell populations. These data identify defective Bcl-6+ T FH cell generation and dysregulated humoral immune induction early in COVID-19 disease, providing a mechanistic explanation for the limited durability of antibody responses in coronavirus infections, and suggest that achieving herd immunity through natural infection may be difficult.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cell.2020.08.025

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  • SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits a Th1 CD4+ T cell response, with IFNγ and IL-2 as the main cytokines produced and some TNFα as well.

    “SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits a Th1 CD4+ T cell response, with IFNγ and IL-2 being the primary cytokines produced by these cells and some TNFα production as well112,126-129.”

    From SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and the aging immune system (2021) · cites this paper as [129]

  • Studies consistently report defective germinal center responses in secondary lymphoid organs of patients who died from SARS-CoV-2.

    “Consistent with a dominant extrafollicular B cell response, studies have consistently reported defective germinal center (GC) responses in the secondary lymphoid organs of patients who have succumbed to SARS-CoV-2 infection129,159.”

    From SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and the aging immune system (2021) · cites this paper as [129]

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Authors
Kaneko, N., Kuo, H.-H., Boucau, J., Farmer, J. R., Allard-Chamard, H., Mahajan, V. S., Piechocka-Trocha, A., Lefteri, K., Osborn, M., Bals, J., Bartsch, Y. C., Bonheur, N., Caradonna, T. M., Chevalier, J., Chowdhury, F., Diefenbach, T. J., Einkauf, K., Fallon, J., Feldman, J., Finn, K. K., Garcia-Broncano, P., Hartana, C. A., Hauser, B. M., Jiang, C., Kaplonek, P., Karpell, M., Koscher, E. C., Lian, X., Liu, H., Liu, J., Ly, N. L., Michell, A. R., Rassadkina, Y., Seiger, K., Sessa, L., Shin, S., Singh, N., Sun, W., Sun, X., Ticheli, H. J., Waring, M. T., Zhu, A. L., Alter, G., Li, J. Z., Lingwood, D., Schmidt, A. G., Lichterfeld, M., Walker, B. D., Yu, X. G., Padera, R. F., & Pillai, S.
Affiliations
  • Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard (US)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Padera, Robert F.
  • Pillai, Shiv
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-10
Volume
183
Issue
1
Pages
143-157.e13
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3049048202
Cited by
734
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 31 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 69 · 2023: 105 · 2022: 174 · 2021: 244 · 2020: 62
FWCI
19.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, BCL6, T follicular helper cells, germinal center, humoral immune response, T-bet, Th1 cells, TNF-α, transitional B cells, follicular B cells, spleen, herd immunity
MeSH terms
COVID-19, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, B-Lymphocytes, Female, T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pneumonia, Viral, Spleen, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Coronavirus Infections, Germinal Center, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6, Pandemics

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