AUTHOR=Wang Yifei , Tian Qin , Ye Lilin 

TITLE=The Differentiation and Maintenance of SARS-CoV-2-Specific Follicular Helper T Cells

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.953022

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.953022

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Upon acute viral infection, virus-specific CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells differentiate into either T<sub>H</sub>1 cells or follicular helper T (T<sub>FH</sub>) cells. The molecular pathways governing such bimodal cell fate commitment remain elusive. Additionally, effector virus-specific T<sub>FH</sub> cells further differentiate into corresponding memory population, which confer long-term protection against re-infection of same viruses by providing immediate help to virus-specific memory B cells. Currently, the molecular mechanisms underlying the long-term maintenance of memory T<sub>FH</sub> cells are largely unknown. In this review, we discuss current understanding of early differentiation of virus-specific effector T<sub>FH</sub> cells and long-term maintenance of virus-specific memory T<sub>FH</sub> cells in mouse models of viral infection and patients of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.</p>