RNAseq of germinal center B cells from Blimp-1-GFP reporter mice with an ablatable TfH compartment.

RNAseq of germinal center B cells (B220+IgDlowCD95+GL7+) with different Blimp-1-GFP reporter level in the presence of TfH cells or 72 hr after their depletion. Sorted germinal center populations were defined by their expression of Blimp-1-GFP reporter and the cell surface marker CD138. Analysed mice were bone marrow chimeras generated with a bone marrow mixture from CD4-cre+ Rosa26-loxP-stp-loxP-DTR Blimp-1GFP/+ (10%) and Rag1-/- OTII (90%) mice. In these mice TfH cells can be depleted by the injection of human diphteria toxin (DT). Overall design: We used RNAseq to find genes differentially regulated in various splenic Blimp-1-GFP expressing germinal center populations in the presence of TfH cells or after their depletion. Cells were sorted from the spleen at day 10 after intraperitoneal immunisation with sheep red blood cells.