# Regulation of Tfh cell differentiation and humoral immunity

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2021 · $491,617

## Abstract

Project Summary
 CD4+ T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are essential for germinal center (GC) responses and long-
term humoral immunity. However, the complex regulation that determines the differentiation of Tfh
cells, their developmental progression in GC, and their number and function in helping GC B cell
differentiation and antibody affinity selection, are still not fully understood. Our long-term goals are to
identify novel pathways underlying the differentiation of Tfh cells and design new strategies to
manipulate humoral responses for treatment of infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders and to
aid vaccine development.
 Recently we have identified transcription factor Foxp1 as a rate-limiting and critical negative
regulator of Tfh cell differentiation, which drastically affects both the kinetics and the magnitude of the
antibody responses. Our new preliminary data now start to reveal that Foxp1 engages a complex
network of regulators that are coordinated to suppress Tfh cell differentiation as well as Tfh help to B
cells at different stages/steps of the GC response. In this application, we aim to identify Foxp1 targets
and elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which Foxp1 regulates Tfh cell differentiation. In addition,
we will further delineate how Foxp1-mediated regulation of Tfh cell differentiation affects GC B cell
development, antibody affinity selection and chronic infection. Our study will not only reveal new
components of the transcriptional regulation in Tfh cell differentiation, but also provide fundamental
mechanistic insights in the regulation of GC B cell responses and antibody affinity selection.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10165471
- **Project number:** 5R01AI130232-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Hui Hu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $491,617
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-06-05 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10165471

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10165471, Regulation of Tfh cell differentiation and humoral immunity (5R01AI130232-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10165471. Licensed CC0.

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