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Updated: Jan 14, 2026

Evaluation of T Follicular Helper Cells and Germinal Center Response During Influenza A Virus Infection in Mice
Published on: June 27, 2020
TGF-β: A silent player regulating CD8 T cell memory
Jesús Daniel Zambrano-Romero1, Diana Berenice Ríos-Ramírez1, Verónica Yutsil García-Rasilla1
1Departamento de Biología Celular y Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
Abstract:
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is recognized as an anti-inflammatory cytokine that negatively affects effector CD8 T cells. However, its impact is not confined to the effector CD8 T cell population; TGF-β also plays a role in suppressing naïve CD8 T cell activation, preserving stemness, and influencing the function and differentiation of memory CD8 T cells. Memory CD8 T cells are vital for eradicating pathogens that have previously infected the host. Both tissue-resident and central memory CD8 T cells have demonstrated a dependency on TGF-β for their differentiation. The mechanisms underlying many of these TGF-β effects remain unclear. This review summarizes the roles of TGF-β in various CD8 T cell subsets, with an emphasis on the memory T cell compartment, and discusses recent findings regarding its influence on memory CD8 T cell differentiation as well as open questions in the field.
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