Comparison of gene expression profile of T follicular helper cells and germinal center B cells from neonatal and adult mice

Vaccines that require T-cell help for the production of antibodies need to be administered three to four doses during the first 15 months of life in order to afford protection. Diminished antibody responses in newborns have been considered as a consequence of impaired T follicular helper (TFH) development and germinal center B cell (GC BC) formation upon immunization. To gain further insight into the transcriptional program for the induction and/or inhibition of TFH cell development, we screened 561 immune-related genes using the nCounter® Immunology Panel array. Analysis of in vivo follicular helper CD4 T cells (CD4+CXCR5+PD-1+), versus non-follicular helper CD4 T cells (CD4+CXCR5-PD-1-) and germinal center B cells (B220+GL-7-FAS-), versus non-germinal center B cells (B220+GL-7-FAS-), 10 days after immunization with sheep red blood cells to adult mice (8 week-old) and neonatal mice (5 day-old).