{
  "abstract": "Background: Germinal centers (GCs) typically arise within the lymph node cortex, where follicular dendritic cell (FDC) networks and follicular helper T cells coordinate B-cell expansion, affinity maturation, and durable immunity. Whether proliferating B-cell aggregates in the medulla engage bona fide GC programs or instead represent a distinct GC-like differentiation state remains unresolved.\n\nMethods: In this study, using mediastinal lymph nodes from SARS-CoV-2-infected cynomolgus macaques, we combined immunofluorescence with Xenium spatial transcriptomics to identify LYVE1+ sinus-associated medullary GC structures (mGCs) alongside conventional cortical GCs (cGCs).\n\nResults: mGCs shared core GC-associated modules with cGCs but showed niche-divergent features, including increased expression of PRDM1, MZB1, and VWF and decreased expression of IRF8, CD27, and CD86. mGCs retained organized follicular architecture but showed lower CD4+ T and GC B cell densities, greater plasma cell representation, and enrichment of pDCs, NK cells, and stromal populations. Compared with cGCs, mGCs lacked polarized CD35+ FDC and CD3+ T cell network topology, exhibited reduced CXCL12 availability, and showed a higher IgM/IgG ratio. During early reinfection, medullary secondary follicles contracted sharply and were associated with higher Foxp3+ cell density.\n\nConclusion: These findings support a model in which lymph node microanatomy imprints a distinct mGC state, diversifying humoral immune architecture during respiratory viral infection.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "National Primate Research Centre, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) , , ,",
    "Korea Preclinical Evaluation Center, KRIBB , ,"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 12,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Dong-Yeon Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "YoungMin Woo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Taehwan Oh"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Green Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Seung Ho Baek"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Eun-Ha Hwang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Gukhui Min"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Miji Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "You Jung An"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yujin Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Kyong-Cheol Ko"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jung Joo Hong"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3eeb6qfft174t.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1930085",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13661466/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "3eeb6qfft174t",
  "issns": [
    "1664-3224"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661466",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2403|T-cell and B-cell Immunology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214992391",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13661466/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13661466",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-30",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3eeb6qfft174t.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:20Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13661466",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661466"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:15Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fimmu.2026.1930085",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1930085/full"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2403|T-cell and B-cell Immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Spatial compartmentalization shapes distinct germinal center states during respiratory viral infection",
  "title_text": "Spatial compartmentalization shapes distinct germinal center states during respiratory viral infection",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:15Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3eeb6qfft174t",
  "venue": "Frontiers in immunology",
  "versions": []
}