Fig. 8: SARS-CoV-2 infection induces germinal center responses targeting spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) in mediastinal lymph nodes.
From: SARS-CoV-2 induces robust germinal center CD4 T follicular helper cell responses in rhesus macaques
A Median fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CXCR5, CCR7, CD69 and B SLAM, ICOS, CD28 within CXCR3- (orange) and CXCR3+ (magenta) GC Tfh cells in spleen following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Naive CD4 T cells in spleen shown for comparison (grey) (SLAM; ****p < 0.0001 CXCR3+ relative to naive and CXCR3− using a paired two-tailed t test, CD28; **p = 0.001 CXCR3+ subset relative to naive and CXCR3- using a paired two-tailed t test) C Following PMA/Ionomycin stimulation, CD40L, IFNγ, and IL-21 expression shown across GC Tfh subsets. Unstimulated cells shown in gray (IFNG; **p = 0.0012 CXCR3+ relative to CXCR3− using a paired two-tailed t test). Box-whiskers plot shows range of data, bounds of the box extend from the 25th to 75th percentile, line in box is plotted at the median. D Flow plot of PD-1+ CXCR5+ Tfh subsets shows AIM+ cells following stimulation with spike (S); scatter plot shows specificity of GC Tfh cells and CXCR5− cells to SARS-CoV-2 S and nucleocapsid (N), and responses to PMA/Ionomycin. CD95- naive CD4 T cell shown for comparison. The dashed line represents undetectable responses assigned a value of 0.01%. Black squares denote SARS-CoV-2 unexposed animals. Fluorochromes used were CD40L-APC; remaining as stated in previous panels.
