Regulation of follicular T helper cell differentiation in antitumor immunity

Follicular T helper (Tfh) cells are a subset of CD4+ T cells that play an important role in the formation of germinal centers and the maturation and differentiation of affinity-matured B cells. Recent studies have demonstrated important functions of Tfh cells in tertiary lymphoid structures of tumors, revealing great potential of Tfh cells in tumor immunity. However, Tfh development is incompletely understood. The differentiation of Tfh cells is a complex, multistage process regulated at the DNA, RNA and protein levels. This review just summarizes current research on the molecular mechanisms of Tfh cell differentiation to better understand the role of Tfh cells in antitumor immunity.