Bcl6-Mediated Transcriptional Regulation of Follicular Helper T cells (TFH).

Follicular helper T cells (TFH) are essential B cell-help providers in the formation of germinal centers (GCs), affinity maturation of GC B cells, differentiation of high-affinity antibody-producing plasma cells, and production of memory B cells. The transcription factor (TF) B cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) is at the center of gene regulation in TFH biology, including differentiation and function, but how Bcl6 does this, and what additional TFs contribute, remain complex questions. This review focuses on advances in our understanding of Bcl6-mediated gene regulation of TFH functions, and the modulation of TFH by other TFs. These advances may have important implications in deciphering how repressor TFs can regulate many immunological cell types. An improved understanding of TFH biology will likely provide insights into biomedically relevant diseases.