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Human circulating influenza-CD4+ ICOS1+IL-21+ T cells expand after vaccination, exert helper function, and predict antibody responses

Protection against influenza is mediated by neutralizing antibodies, and their induction at high and sustained titers is key for successful vaccination. Optimal B cells activation requires delivery of help from CD4+ T lymphocytes. In lymph nodes and tonsils, T-follicular helper cells have been identified as the T cells subset specialized in helping B lymphocytes, with interleukin-21 (IL-21) and inducible costimulatory molecule (ICOS1) playing a central role for this function. We followed the expansion of antigen-specific IL-21+ CD4+ T cells upon influenza vaccination in adults. We show that, after an overnight in vitro stimulation, influenza-specific IL-21+ CD4+ T cells can be measured in human blood, accumulate in the CXCR5−ICOS1+ population, and increase in frequency after vaccination. The expansion of influenza-specific ICOS1+IL-21+ CD4+ T cells associates with and predicts the rise of functionally active antibodies to avian H5N1. We also show that blood-derived CXCR5−ICOS1+ CD4+ T cells exert helper function in vitro and support the differentiation of influenza specific B cells in an ICOS1- and IL-21–dependent manner. We propose that the expansion of antigen-specific ICOS1+IL-21+ CD4+ T cells in blood is an early marker of vaccine immunogenicity and an important immune parameter for the evaluation of novel vaccination strategies.