{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T06:05:40Z","timestamp":1784009140998,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783987200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Immunol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are increasingly regarded as important local immune niches in chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. However, a focused bibliometric overview of TLS research in autoimmune diseases is still lacking.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Publications on TLSs in autoimmune diseases published between 2006 and 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases. After screening and deduplication, the eligible records were analyzed using Bibliometrix\/Biblioshiny, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to assess publication trends, collaboration patterns, co-citation networks, keyword clustering, and thematic evolution.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 479 publications were included. Annual output showed an overall upward trend, indicating sustained interest in this field. The United States occupied a central position in the international collaboration network, while several European countries also made important contributions. Rheumatoid arthritis, Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus\/lupus nephritis, and myasthenia gravis emerged as the major disease contexts of TLS research. The field evolved from early attention to lymphoid neogenesis, chemokine-mediated tissue organization, and ectopic germinal center-like responses toward local B-cell hyperactivity, disease-specific immune microenvironments, and clinical heterogeneity. Recent frontiers include T follicular helper\/peripheral helper T-cell axes, stromal remodeling, fibroblast-associated immune organization, disease subsets, and single-cell\/spatial omics approaches.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>TLS research in autoimmune diseases has evolved from structural recognition toward functional interpretation, disease stratification, and translational exploration. Further studies integrating mechanistic investigation with clinical stratification are needed to clarify the translational relevance of TLSs in precision medicine.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2026.1864891","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T05:37:21Z","timestamp":1784007441000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Global research landscape and emerging trends of tertiary lymphoid structures in autoimmune diseases: a bibliometric analysis"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Jiaqi","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yiyuanzi","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xixuan","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tianshu","family":"Dong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhiyi","family":"Feng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhongmian","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhihong","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ard.2026.02.020","article-title":"The evolving landscape of complement therapeutics in rheumatology","volume":"85","author":"Holers","year":"2026","journal-title":"Ann Rheum Dis"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ard.2025.12.010","article-title":"A genetic variant of BAFF is associated with the risk of lymphoma in Sj\u00f6gren disease","volume":"85","author":"Beydon","year":"2026","journal-title":"Ann Rheum Dis"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ard.2026.03.026","article-title":"Human hypofunctional NCF1 variant aggravates salivary gland immunopathology in Sj\u00f6gren's disease by promoting switched memory B-cell recruitment and long-lived plasma cell differentiation","author":"Yuan","year":"2026","journal-title":"Ann Rheum Dis"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/2024.11.25.24317912","article-title":"Multi-tissue multi-omics integration reveals tissue-specific pathways, gene networks and drug candidates for type 1 diabetes","volume":"69","author":"Blencowe","year":"2026","journal-title":"Diabetologia"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1778759","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4419-6247-8_13396","article-title":"Complement and inflammasome crosstalk in chronic inflammation","volume":"17","author":"Jan\u017ei\u010d","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms27073190","article-title":"Cell-targeted inhibition of CaMK4 suppresses tertiary lymphoid-like structure development in lupus-prone mice","volume":"27","author":"Jamaly","year":"2026","journal-title":"Int J Mol Sci"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2026.1756560","article-title":"Amplification cycles through innate lymphoid cells at the onset of lupus nephritis","volume":"17","author":"Kreider","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1007\/s00018-022-04388-x","article-title":"Role of tertiary lymphoid organs in the regulation of immune responses in the periphery","volume":"79","author":"Bery","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cell Mol Life Sci"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1084\/jem.20181216","article-title":"Type I interferon induces CXCL13 to support ectopic germinal center formation","volume":"216","author":"Denton","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Exp Med"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms252413286","article-title":"Artificial tertiary lymphoid structures: Exploring mesenchymal stromal cells as a platform for immune niche formation","volume":"25","author":"Zubkova","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Mol Sci"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mucimm.2025.10.001","article-title":"Epididymitis promotes formation of tertiary lymphoid organs in the cauda epididymidis","volume":"18","author":"Hasan","year":"2025","journal-title":"Mucosal Immunol"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"917","DOI":"10.1038\/s41419-025-08376-4","article-title":"Th17-like cells and immunosuppressive macrophages infiltrate tertiary lymphoid structures with distinct maturation status in soft-tissue sarcoma","volume":"16","author":"Petroni","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cell Death Dis"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2025.1579840","article-title":"The germinal center-tertiary lymphoid structure after neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy for locally advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma can predict the disease progression","volume":"16","author":"Jiang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41590-025-02259-8","article-title":"Simultaneous STING and lymphotoxin-\u03b2 receptor activation induces B cell responses in tertiary lymphoid structures to potentiate antitumor immunity","volume":"26","author":"Sawada","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nat Immunol"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1475062","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2024.1475062","article-title":"Global trends in tertiary lymphoid structures: a bibliometric analysis from 2014 to 2023","volume":"15","author":"Bao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nri1786","article-title":"Lymphoid neogenesis in chronic inflammatory diseases","volume":"6","author":"Aloisi","year":"2006","journal-title":"Nat Rev Immunol"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ni1330","article-title":"Lymphoid organ development: from ontogeny to neogenesis","volume":"7","author":"Drayton","year":"2006","journal-title":"Nat Immunol"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nrrheum.2016.217","article-title":"Ectopic lymphoid neogenesis in rheumatic autoimmune diseases","volume":"13","author":"Bombardieri","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat Rev Rheumatol"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2023.1322035","article-title":"Tertiary lymphoid structures in autoimmune diseases","volume":"14","author":"Dong","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-54686-0","article-title":"Molecular and spatial analysis of tertiary lymphoid structures in Sjogren's syndrome","volume":"16","author":"Nayar","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nat Commun"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.0060001","article-title":"Ectopic lymphoid structures support ongoing production of class-switched autoantibodies in rheumatoid synovium","volume":"6","author":"Humby","year":"2009","journal-title":"PloS Med"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.179.7.4929","article-title":"Activation-induced cytidine deaminase expression in follicular dendritic cell networks and interfollicular large B cells supports functionality of ectopic lymphoid neogenesis in autoimmune sialoadenitis and MALT lymphoma in Sj\u00f6gren's syndrome","volume":"179","author":"Bombardieri","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Immunol"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.1001983","article-title":"In situ B cell-mediated immune responses and tubulointerstitial inflammation in human lupus nephritis","volume":"186","author":"Chang","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Immunol"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.0803588","article-title":"Ectopic germinal centers are rare in Sjogren's syndrome salivary glands and do not exclude autoreactive B cells","volume":"182","author":"Le Pottier","year":"2009","journal-title":"J Immunol"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/eji.200425830","article-title":"Systematic microanatomical analysis of CXCL13 and CCL21 in situ production and progressive lymphoid organization in rheumatoid synovitis","volume":"35","author":"Manzo","year":"2005","journal-title":"Eur J Immunol"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/art.21062","article-title":"Association of CXCL13 and CCL21 expression with the progressive organization of lymphoid-like structures in Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s syndrome","volume":"52","author":"Barone","year":"2005","journal-title":"Arthritis Rheum"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1503315112","article-title":"IL-22 regulates lymphoid chemokine production and assembly of tertiary lymphoid organs","volume":"112","author":"Barone","year":"2015","journal-title":"Proc Natl Acad Sci USA"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ni.2053","article-title":"The development of inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue depends on IL-17","volume":"12","author":"Rangel-Moreno","year":"2011","journal-title":"Nat Immunol"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"R90","DOI":"10.1186\/ar4555","article-title":"Synovial phenotypes in rheumatoid arthritis correlate with response to biologic therapeutics","volume":"16","author":"Dennis","year":"2014","journal-title":"Arthritis Res Ther"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/annrheumdis-2020-217646","article-title":"Unique expansion of IL-21+ Tfh and Tph cells under control of ICOS identifies Sj\u00f6gren's syndrome with ectopic germinal centres and MALT lymphoma","volume":"79","author":"Pontarini","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann Rheum Dis"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciimmunol.adt3955","article-title":"Stem-like and effector peripheral helper T cells comprise distinct subsets in rheumatoid arthritis","volume":"10","author":"Masuo","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci Immunol"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/annrheumdis-2015-208356","article-title":"Single cell cloning and recombinant monoclonal antibodies generation from RA synovial B cells reveal frequent targeting of citrullinated histones of NETs","volume":"75","author":"Corsiero","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ann Rheum Dis"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/ard-2024-225876","article-title":"Single-cell transcriptomics reveal potent extrafollicular B cell response linked with granzyme K CD8 T cell activation in lupus kidney","author":"Wu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ann Rheum Dis"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nrrheum.2018.1","article-title":"B cells in the pathogenesis of primary Sj\u00f6gren syndrome","volume":"14","author":"Nocturne","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat Rev Rheumatol"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaut.2019.102337","article-title":"Risk factors associated with myasthenia gravis in thymoma patients: The potential role of thymic germinal centers","volume":"106","author":"Lefeuvre","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Autoimmun"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1649171","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2025.1649171","article-title":"Thymus research in relation to myasthenia gravis: a new perspective on cell subpopulations and future directions","volume":"16","author":"Matsui","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ene.16119","article-title":"Germinal centers are associated with postthymectomy myasthenia gravis in patients with thymoma","volume":"31","author":"Chung","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur J Neurol"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.immuni.2015.11.010","article-title":"Integration of Th17- and lymphotoxin-derived signals initiates meningeal-resident stromal cell remodeling to propagate neuroinflammation","volume":"43","author":"Pikor","year":"2015","journal-title":"Immunity"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1038\/s41590-025-02359-5","article-title":"Lymphotoxin-dependent elevated meningeal CXCL13:BAFF ratios drive gray matter injury","volume":"27","author":"Naouar","year":"2026","journal-title":"Nat Immunol"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2025.1731285","article-title":"Aberrant B cell responses as drivers of autoantibody generation and epitope diversification in SLE pathogenesis","volume":"16","author":"Tariq","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/imr.70088","article-title":"T peripheral helper cells in lymphoid aggregate and tertiary lymphoid structure formation","volume":"337","author":"Sowerby","year":"2026","journal-title":"Immunol Rev"},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1455238","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2024.1455238","article-title":"Podoplanin expressing macrophages and their involvement in tertiary lymphoid structures in mouse models of Sj\u00f6gren's disease","volume":"15","author":"Hovd","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Immunol"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.55563\/clinexprheumatol\/5xq3fb","article-title":"Clinical manifestations, imaging and treatment of Sj\u00f6gren's disease: one year in review 2024","volume":"42","author":"Tromby","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clin Exp Rheumatol"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Immunology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fimmu.2026.1864891\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T05:37:22Z","timestamp":1784007442000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fimmu.2026.1864891\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]]},"references-count":43,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fimmu.2026.1864891"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fimmu.2026.1864891","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-3224"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-3224","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]]},"article-number":"1864891"}}