ICOS Expression Is Required for Maintenance but Not the Formation of Germinal Centers in the Spleen in Response to Plasmodium yoelii Infection

Abstract

Inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS) plays a key role in the differentiation and maintenance of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and, thus, germinal center (GC) formation. Previously, our laboratory showed in a Plasmodium chabaudi infection model that Icos −/− mice were significantly impaired in their ability to form GCs despite persistent infection and, thus, a continued antigen (Ag) load.