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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Evaluation of T Follicular Helper Cells and Germinal Center Response During Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice
Published on: June 27, 2020
Hallmarks of CD4 T cell immunity against influenza
K K McKinstry1, T M Strutt, S L Swain
1Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. kai.mckinstry@umassmed.edu
None:
The mechanisms responsible for heterosubtypic immunity to influenza virus are not well understood but might hold the key for new vaccine strategies capable of providing lasting protection against both seasonal and pandemic strains. Memory CD4 T cells are capable of providing substantial protection against influenza both through direct effector mechanisms and indirectly through regulatory and helper functions. Here, we discuss the broad impact of memory CD4 T cells on heterosubtypic immunity against influenza and the prospects of translating findings from animal models into improved human influenza vaccines.
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