A Critical Role for IL-21 Receptor Signaling in the Coxsackievirus B3-Induced Myocarditis.

To determine whether IL-21 receptor signaling plays a significant role in promoting Tfh cell-mediated cardiac injury in viral myocarditis (VMC), we compared IL-21R-deficient mice for some parameters of VMC. Balb/c and IL-21R mice were infected with CVB3. Frequencies of splenic Tfh cells were determined by flow cytometric analysis, and productions of anti-adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) autoantibodies were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Increased frequency of follicular helper T cells in mice viral myocarditis is relevant with anti-ANT antoantibody.

Background: Recently, a new subset of CD4(+)T helper cell termed Follicular helper T cells (Tfh), which play a pivotal role in B cell activation and differentiation in lymphoid structures, has been reported to participate in some certain autoimmune diseases. But whether Tfh cells are involved in the pathogenesis of VMC remains unclear.

Methods: Male BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally (i.