The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and Pathogenesis

Flaviviruses are a group of viruses transmitted mainly by mosquitoes and ticks, causing severe diseases in humans. Examples include dengue, Zika, West Nile virus, and yellow fever. They primarily affect individuals in tropical and subtropical regions, causing public health problems such as epidemic...

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Main Authors: Paola N. Flores-Pérez, José A. Collazo-Llera, Fabiola A. Rodríguez-Alvarado, Vanessa Rivera-Amill
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/652
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author Paola N. Flores-Pérez
José A. Collazo-Llera
Fabiola A. Rodríguez-Alvarado
Vanessa Rivera-Amill
author_facet Paola N. Flores-Pérez
José A. Collazo-Llera
Fabiola A. Rodríguez-Alvarado
Vanessa Rivera-Amill
author_sort Paola N. Flores-Pérez
collection DOAJ
description Flaviviruses are a group of viruses transmitted mainly by mosquitoes and ticks, causing severe diseases in humans. Examples include dengue, Zika, West Nile virus, and yellow fever. They primarily affect individuals in tropical and subtropical regions, causing public health problems such as epidemic outbreaks and significant economic burdens due to hospitalizations and treatments. They share antigens, leading to cross-reactivity where antibodies generated against one flavivirus can react with others, complicating the accurate diagnosis of individual infections and making the development of treatments or vaccines more challenging. The role of T cells in the immune response to flaviviruses is a complex topic debated by scientists. On one hand, T cells help control infection by eliminating infected cells and protecting against disease. However, there is evidence that an excessive or dysregulated T cell response can cause tissue damage and worsen the disease, as seen in severe dengue cases. This duality underscores the complexity of the immune response to flavivirus infections, posing a significant challenge for researchers. Gaining a deeper understanding of the immune response at the cellular level, particularly the role of T follicular helper cells, can reveal new avenues of investigation that could lead to novel strategies for disease management. This review explores the dynamics of T cell responses, focusing on circulatory T follicular helper cells (cT<sub>FH</sub>), to enhance our understanding of flavivirus immunity and inform future interventions.
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spelling doaj-art-75274f32df0943d6bbd2605e927b84152025-08-20T03:48:02ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-04-0117565210.3390/v17050652The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and PathogenesisPaola N. Flores-Pérez0José A. Collazo-Llera1Fabiola A. Rodríguez-Alvarado2Vanessa Rivera-Amill3School of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto RicoSchool of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto RicoPonce Research Institute, Ponce 00716, Puerto RicoSchool of Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce 00716, Puerto RicoFlaviviruses are a group of viruses transmitted mainly by mosquitoes and ticks, causing severe diseases in humans. Examples include dengue, Zika, West Nile virus, and yellow fever. They primarily affect individuals in tropical and subtropical regions, causing public health problems such as epidemic outbreaks and significant economic burdens due to hospitalizations and treatments. They share antigens, leading to cross-reactivity where antibodies generated against one flavivirus can react with others, complicating the accurate diagnosis of individual infections and making the development of treatments or vaccines more challenging. The role of T cells in the immune response to flaviviruses is a complex topic debated by scientists. On one hand, T cells help control infection by eliminating infected cells and protecting against disease. However, there is evidence that an excessive or dysregulated T cell response can cause tissue damage and worsen the disease, as seen in severe dengue cases. This duality underscores the complexity of the immune response to flavivirus infections, posing a significant challenge for researchers. Gaining a deeper understanding of the immune response at the cellular level, particularly the role of T follicular helper cells, can reveal new avenues of investigation that could lead to novel strategies for disease management. This review explores the dynamics of T cell responses, focusing on circulatory T follicular helper cells (cT<sub>FH</sub>), to enhance our understanding of flavivirus immunity and inform future interventions.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/652dengue virusflavivirusT follicular helper cellsT cells
spellingShingle Paola N. Flores-Pérez
José A. Collazo-Llera
Fabiola A. Rodríguez-Alvarado
Vanessa Rivera-Amill
The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and Pathogenesis
Viruses
dengue virus
flavivirus
T follicular helper cells
T cells
title The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and Pathogenesis
title_full The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and Pathogenesis
title_fullStr The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and Pathogenesis
title_full_unstemmed The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and Pathogenesis
title_short The Emerging Role of Circulating T Follicular Helper Cells in Dengue Virus Immunity: Balancing Protection and Pathogenesis
title_sort emerging role of circulating t follicular helper cells in dengue virus immunity balancing protection and pathogenesis
topic dengue virus
flavivirus
T follicular helper cells
T cells
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/652
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