Foxp3+ follicular regulatory T cells control the germinal center response

Abstract

Follicular helper T (TFH) cells provide survival and selection signals to germinal center B cells. Here, Carola Vinuesa and colleagues describe a regulatory T cell subset that co-opts the differentiation program of TFH cells and limits their numbers in vivo. Ablation of these TFH-like, T regulatory cells alters the number of antigen-specific B cells suggesting regulatory T cells modulate germinal center responses. Follicular helper (TFH) cells provide crucial signals to germinal center B cells undergoing somatic hypermutation and selection that results in affinity maturation. Tight control of TFH numbers maintains self tolerance. We describe a population of Foxp3+Blimp-1+CD4+ T cells constituting 10–25% of the CXCR5highPD-1highCD4+ T cells found in the germinal center after immunization with protein antigens. These follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells share phenotypic characteristics with TFH and conventional Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells yet are distinct from both. Similar to TFH cells, TFR cell development depends on Bcl-6, SLAM-associated protein (SAP), CD28 and B cells; however, TFR cells originate from thymic-derived Foxp3+ precursors, not naive or TFH cells. TFR cells are suppressive in vitro and limit TFH cell and germinal center B cell numbers in vivo. In the absence of TFR cells, an outgrowth of non–antigen-specific B cells in germinal centers leads to fewer antigen-specific cells. Thus, the TFH differentiation pathway is co-opted by Treg cells to control the germinal center response.