Immunity
Volume 31, Issue 3, 18 September 2009, Pages 491-501
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Article
Type I Interferon Signaling in Dendritic Cells Stimulates the Development of Lymph-Node-Resident T Follicular Helper Cells

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Summary

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells represent a recently defined CD4+ T cell subset characterized by the expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR5 and an enhanced ability to support B cells to mount antibody responses. Here, we demonstrate that lymph-node-resident CXCR5+ Tfh cells and gut-homing integrin α4β7-expressing T helper cells are generated as separate subsets in the gut-draining mesenteric lymph nodes. Type I interferon signaling in dendritic cells and in nonhematopoietic cells selectively stimulates Tfh cell development in response to antigen in conjunction with Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 or TLR4 agonists. Consistent with this, the ability of dendritic cells to produce the cytokine IL-6, required for in vivo Tfh differentiation, and antibody affinity maturation are both reduced in absence of type I interferon signaling. Thus, our results identify type I interferon as a natural adjuvant that selectively supports the generation of lymph node resident Tfh cells.

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