The adjuvant GLA-SE promotes human Tfh cell expansion and emergence of public TCRβ clonotypes

DL Hill, W Pierson, DJ Bolland, C Mkindi… - Journal of Experimental …, 2019 - rupress.org
DL Hill, W Pierson, DJ Bolland, C Mkindi, EJ Carr, J Wang, S Houard, SW Wingett, R Audran…
Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2019rupress.org
The generation of protective humoral immunity after vaccination relies on the productive
interaction between antigen-specific B cells and T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Despite the
central role of Tfh cells in vaccine responses, there is currently no validated way to enhance
their differentiation in humans. From paired human lymph node and blood samples, we
identify a population of circulating Tfh cells that are transcriptionally and clonally similar to
germinal center Tfh cells. In a clinical trial of vaccine formulations, circulating Tfh cells were …
The generation of protective humoral immunity after vaccination relies on the productive interaction between antigen-specific B cells and T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Despite the central role of Tfh cells in vaccine responses, there is currently no validated way to enhance their differentiation in humans. From paired human lymph node and blood samples, we identify a population of circulating Tfh cells that are transcriptionally and clonally similar to germinal center Tfh cells. In a clinical trial of vaccine formulations, circulating Tfh cells were expanded in Tanzanian volunteers when an experimental malaria vaccine was adjuvanted in GLA-SE but not when formulated in Alum. The GLA-SE–formulated peptide was associated with an increase in the extrafollicular antibody response, long-lived antibody production, and the emergence of public TCRβ clonotypes in circulating Tfh cells. We demonstrate that altering vaccine adjuvants is a rational approach for enhancing Tfh cells in humans, thereby supporting the long-lived humoral immunity that is required for effective vaccines.
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