查看文章

The transcription factors Bcl6 and Blimp1 have opposing roles in the development of the follicular helper T (T_FH) cells: Bcl6 promotes and Blimp1 inhibits T_FH‐cell differentiation. Similarly, Bcl6 activates, while Blimp1 represses, expression of the T_FH‐cell marker PD‐1. However, Bcl6 and Blimp1 repress each other's expression, complicating the interpretation of the regulatory network. Here we sought to clarify the extent to which Bcl6 and Blimp1 independently control T_FH‐cell differentiation by generating mice with T‐cell specific deletion of both Bcl6 and Blimp1 (double conditional KO [dcKO] mice). Our data indicate that Blimp1 does not control T_FH‐cell differentiation independently of Bcl6. However, a population of T follicular regulatory (T_FR) cells developed independently of Bcl6 in dcKO mice. We have also analyzed regulation of IL‐10 and PD‐1, two genes controlled by both Bcl6 and Blimp1, and observed that …