Journal roundup

Inhibition of Stearoyl-CoA desaturases suppresses humoral immunity following immunization Stearoyl-CoA desaturases (SCD) are endoplasmic reticulum (ER) associated enzymes that are responsible for the conversion of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) into monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The roles of SCD in regulating CD4+ helper T cells responses are unknown currently. In this issue, Sun et al. showed that murine and human follicular helper T (TFH) cells expressed higher levels of SCD then non-TFH cells. The expression of SCD in TFH cells was depended on BCL6, a master transcriptional factor for TFH cell differentiation. Importantly, treatment of SCD inhibitor in vivo impaired TFH cell maintenance and germinal center B cell responses by promoting cellular apoptosis of TFH cells, which was associated with increased ER stress genes. This study proposes a possible link between fatty acid metabolism and the cellular and humoral responses following immunization and potentially, during autoimmunity.