Phase-specific polarization of peripheral helper T cells influences immunopathology and viral control in HBV infection - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #immunopathology
- #Tph cells
- #HBV infection
- Tph cells (PD-1+CXCR5-CXCL13+) expand in liver and blood during immune activation (IA) and acute resolving (AR) phases of HBV infection.
- AR-phase Tph cells show an antiviral, effector-like profile with cytokines like IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-10, while IA-phase Tph cells have a pro-inflammatory, pathogenic profile with TNF-α, GZMB, IL-4, and IL-9.
- Tph cell polarization is influenced by transcription factors TBX21 (protective) and BHLHE40 (pathogenic), with ER stress upregulating BHLHE40.
- The bile acid derivative TUDCA reduces ER stress, repolarizes IA-phase Tph cells toward a protective phenotype, suggesting a therapeutic target to separate immunopathology from viral clearance in chronic hepatitis B.