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Follicular helper T (TFH) cells are a specialized subset of CD4+ T cells that essentially support germinal center responses where high-affinity and long-lived humoral immunity is generated. The regulation of TFH cell survival remains unclear. Here we report that TFH cells show intensified lipid peroxidation and altered mitochondrial morphology, resembling the features of ferroptosis, a form of programmed cell death that is driven by iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is the major lipid peroxidation scavenger and is necessary for TFH cell survival. The deletion of GPX4 in T cells selectively abrogated TFH cells and germinal center responses in immunized mice. Selenium supplementation enhanced GPX4 expression in T cells, increased TFH cell numbers and promoted antibody responses in immunized mice and young adults after influenza vaccination. Our findings reveal the central role of the selenium–GPX4–ferroptosis axis in regulating TFH homeostasis, which can be targeted to enhance TFH cell function in infection and following vaccination. T follicular helper (TFH) cells are important for the generation of effective antibody responses. Yu and colleagues find that TFH cells are exceptionally sensitive to death by ferroptosis and that this process is regulated by the activity of the selenoenzyme GPX4.

In the originally published version of this Article, there was an error in Extended Data Fig. 10c. Specifically, in Extended Data Fig. 10c, third panel to the right, the y-axis label (In CD4+ cells (%)) was incorrect. The correct label has been amended to read: “In CD4+ CXCR5+cells (%).” The change has been made to the online version of the Article.