B cells spatial organization defines their phenotype and function in cancer "Tell me with whom you consort, and I will tell you who you are" - Goethe.

Current opinion in immunology
Authors
Abstract

The presence of B cells and their subtypes in the tumor environment has been recognized a for very long time. Immunoglobulins specific for more than thousands of tumor-associated antigens were detected in the sera of patients with cancer; however, antibody-mediated cancer cell killing is usually impaired. The role of humoral immune response remained elusive until recently, with new discoveries regarding their contribution in regulating antitumor immunity, particularly during immunotherapy. Humoral immunity has been described to promote or attenuate tumorigenesis and can have opposing effects on therapeutic outcome in different tumor entities. The antagonism effect of B cells depends on their subtypes and immunoglobulin isotypes and is regulated by their spatial distribution and localization. In this short review, we will focus on how the spatial organization of B cells within the tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated lymph nodes, and tertiary lymphoid structures define their fate and function and contribute to the regulation of antitumor immunity.

Year of Publication
2024
Journal
Current opinion in immunology
Volume
91
Pages
102504
Date Published
11/2024
ISSN
1879-0372
DOI
10.1016/j.coi.2024.102504
PubMed ID
39547092
Links