HIF-1a tunes T follicular helper cell differentiation during acute viral infection

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells provide signals to initiate and maintain the germinal center (GC) reaction and are crucial for the generation of robust antibody responses. We found that hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1a) is an inhiibitor of Tfh generation in a mouse model of acute viral infection, and that HIF-1a mediates its effects by suppressing mTORC1 activity. Overall design: Bulk RNA-seq of WT or HIF-1a knockout LCMV-specific CD4 T cells, sorted into Th1, pre-Tfh, and GC Tfh populations.