Age-dependent changes in circulating Tfh cells influence development of functional malaria antibodies in children

Jo-Anne Chan, Jessica R. Loughland, Lauren de la Parte, Satomi Okano, Isaac Ssewanyana, Mayimuna Nalubega, Felistas Nankya, Kenneth Musinguzi, John Rek, Emmanuel Arinaitwe, Peta Tipping, Peter Bourke, Dean Andrew, Nicholas Dooley, Arya SheelaNair, Bruce D. Wines, P. Mark Hogarth, James G. Beeson, Bryan Greenhouse, Grant Dorsey, Moses Kamya, Gunter Hartel, Gabriela Minigo, Margaret Feeney, Prasanna Jagannathan and Michelle J. Boyle ()
Additional contact information
Jo-Anne Chan: Burnet Institute
Jessica R. Loughland: QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Lauren de la Parte: Stanford University
Satomi Okano: QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Isaac Ssewanyana: Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration
Mayimuna Nalubega: QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Felistas Nankya: Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration
Kenneth Musinguzi: Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration
John Rek: Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration
Emmanuel Arinaitwe: Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration
Peta Tipping: Menzies School of Health Research
Peter Bourke: Cairns Hospital
Dean Andrew: QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Nicholas Dooley: QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Arya SheelaNair: QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Bruce D. Wines: Burnet Institute
P. Mark Hogarth: Burnet Institute
James G. Beeson: Burnet Institute
Bryan Greenhouse: University of California San Francisco
Grant Dorsey: University of California San Francisco
Moses Kamya: Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration
Gunter Hartel: QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Gabriela Minigo: Menzies School of Health Research
Margaret Feeney: University of California San Francisco
Prasanna Jagannathan: Stanford University
Michelle J. Boyle: Burnet Institute

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract T-follicular helper (Tfh) cells are key drivers of antibodies that protect from malaria. However, little is known regarding the host and parasite factors that influence Tfh and functional antibody development. Here, we use samples from a large cross-sectional study of children residing in an area of high malaria transmission in Uganda to characterize Tfh cells and functional antibodies to multiple parasites stages. We identify a dramatic re-distribution of the Tfh cell compartment with age that is independent of malaria exposure, with Th2-Tfh cells predominating in early childhood, while Th1-Tfh cell gradually increase to adult levels over the first decade of life. Functional antibody acquisition is age-dependent and hierarchical acquired based on parasite stage, with merozoite responses followed by sporozoite and gametocyte antibodies. Antibodies are boosted in children with current infection, and are higher in females. The children with the very highest antibody levels have increased Tfh cell activation and proliferation, consistent with a key role of Tfh cells in antibody development. Together, these data reveal a complex relationship between the circulating Tfh compartment, antibody development and protection from malaria.

Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31880-6 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31880-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31880-6

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().