By 2050, there will be over 1.6 billion adults aged 65 years and older, making age-related diseases and conditions a growing public health concern. One of the leading causes of death in the ageing population is pathogenic infections (e.g. influenza, Streptococcus pneumoniae). This age-dependent susceptibility to infection has been linked to a reduced ability of the ageing immune system to mount protective responses against infectious pathogens, as well as to vaccines against these pathogens. The primary immune response that promotes protection is the production of antibodies by B cells – a response that is directly mediated by T follicular helper (TFH) cells within germinal centers (GCs) in secondary lymphoid tissues. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge on the development and functionality of TFH cells, the use of circulating TFH (cTFH) cells as vaccine biomarkers, and the influence of age on these processes. Moreover, we will discuss the strategies for overcoming TFH cell dysfunction to improve protective antibody responses in the ageing human population.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
September 2018
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
A scanning electron micrograph (digitally altered and colourized, 4000× magnification) depicting a mesenchymal stem cell (orange) encapsulated in a self-assembling peptide hydrogel. In volume 132, issue 17 of Clinical Science, McFetridge et al. discuss the use of hydrogel materials to unlock the potential of stem cell therapy to treat chronic kidney disease. This image was provided by the authors and produced in collaboration with Dr Simon Crawford at the Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, and the Monash Teaching Resource Support Unit.
Review Article|
September 05 2018
T follicular helper cell development and functionality in immune ageing
Claire E. Gustafson;
Claire E. Gustafson
1Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and the Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, U.S.A.
Search for other works by this author on:
Cornelia M. Weyand;
Cornelia M. Weyand
1Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and the Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, U.S.A.
Search for other works by this author on:
Jörg J. Goronzy
1Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and the Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, U.S.A.
Correspondence: Jörg J. Goronzy ([email protected])
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
May 25 2018
Revision Received:
July 24 2018
Accepted:
August 01 2018
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2018
Clin Sci (Lond) (2018) 132 (17): 1925–1935.
Article history
Received:
May 25 2018
Revision Received:
July 24 2018
Accepted:
August 01 2018
Citation
Claire E. Gustafson, Cornelia M. Weyand, Jörg J. Goronzy; T follicular helper cell development and functionality in immune ageing. Clin Sci (Lond) 14 September 2018; 132 (17): 1925–1935. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20171157
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.