Antigen-specific CD4+ T cell analysis

CD4⁺ T cells play an important role in the efficiency of vaccines, cancer immunotherapy and other immunomodulating therapies. CD4⁺ T cells, alias T helper cells, mediate the immune response by cell-cell interactions with other immune cells and through secretion of cytokines.

An example of cell-cell contact is binding of CD40L on T cells to CD40 on antigen-presenting cells. These T helper cell responses are particularly important for B cell responses and the accompanying antibody production, but are also indispensable for generating effective CD8⁺ T cell responses. Different types of T helper cells can be discriminated: T helper 1 (Th1), T helper 2 (Th2), T helper 9 (Th9), T helper 17 (Th17), T regulatory (Treg) and follicular helper T (Tfh) cells. All types of T helper cells have their own role, signature and importance; each subset affects different immune cells and consequently initiates divergent immune responses. 

By obtaining information on the type and functionality of T helper cells in cellular assays, we can identify the magnitude and type of immune response that has been or will be elicited by your treatment. Furthermore, we can identify the effect of compounds on T helper cell skewing and function.

What can Sanquin do for your T cell projects?

Sanquin can help you identify the T helper cell responses that have been developed in response to your treatment, or how your compound impacts T helper skewing or function. This knowledge can be useful in, for example, vaccine responses or drug safety studies in clinical trials. Sanquin can also provide insights into the effect of treatment or compounds on the inhibitory function of regulatory T cells.