Grant: Project Grant

Our immune system can produce antibodies against natural viral infections or in response to vaccination, for example, COVID vaccines. Blood cells termed "T follicular helper cells" play an important role in antibody production. They identify "B cells" that have the potential to make good antibodies and continuously provide help to B cells so that B cells improve the quality of antibodies they can produce after their training periods. It is not clear if there is a mechanism that judges if certain B cells are ready to become professional antibody secreting cells (plasma cells) after repeated training periods. This could be necessary to ensure a timely and steady supply of plasma cells to control viral spreading. We discovered a group of T cells (termed Tfhr cells) that may do such a job to guides B cells to exit their training and start producing antibodies. Through vaccination experiments in mouse models, we will figure out how Tfhr cells are generated and how they communicate with B cells to turn B cells into antibody producing plasma cells. If successful, this study may discover new ways to improve vaccine strategies.