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Review
. 2023 Mar 9;11(1):28.
doi: 10.1186/s40364-023-00460-1.

Roles and mechanisms of tumour-infiltrating B cells in human cancer: a new force in immunotherapy

Enkui Zhang #  1   2 , Chengsheng Ding #  1   2 , Shuchun Li #  1   2 , Xueliang Zhou  1   2 , Batuer Aikemu  1   2 , Xiaodong Fan  1   2 , Jing Sun  3   4 , Minhua Zheng  5   6   7 , Xiao Yang  8   9   10
Affiliations
Review

Roles and mechanisms of tumour-infiltrating B cells in human cancer: a new force in immunotherapy

Enkui Zhang et al. Biomark Res. .

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting PD-1 or PD-L1 have emerged as a revolutionary treatment strategy for human cancer patients. However, as the response rate to ICI therapy varies widely among different types of tumours, we are beginning to gain insight into the mechanisms as well as biomarkers of therapeutic response and resistance. Numerous studies have highlighted the dominant role of cytotoxic T cells in determining the treatment response to ICIs. Empowered by recent technical advances, such as single-cell sequencing, tumour-infiltrating B cells have been identified as a key regulator in several solid tumours by affecting tumour progression and the response to ICIs. In the current review, we summarized recent advances regarding the role and underlying mechanisms of B cells in human cancer and therapy. Some studies have shown that B-cell abundance in cancer is positively associated with favourable clinical outcomes, while others have indicated that they are tumour-promoting, implying that the biological function of B cells is a complex landscape. The molecular mechanisms involved multiple aspects of the functions of B cells, including the activation of CD8+ T cells, the secretion of antibodies and cytokines, and the facilitation of the antigen presentation process. In addition, other crucial mechanisms, such as the functions of regulatory B cells (Bregs) and plasma cells, are discussed. Here, by summarizing the advances and dilemmas of recent studies, we depicted the current landscape of B cells in cancers and paved the way for future research in this field.

Keywords: B cells; Cancer; Immunotherapy; Prediction; Tumour microenvironment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Crosstalk of B cells with other immune cells in the tumour microenvironment. Tumour-infiltrating B cells can activate CD4+ T cells, recruit CD8+ T cells and regulate the polarization of macrophages. In addition, B cells transform into plasma cells and effector B cells in the TME. Plasma cells can influence dendritic cells to present antigens to CD8+ T cells and produce antibodies to inhibit tumours. Plasma cells secrete antibodies to combine with the ligand of macrophages and transform macrophages into the M1 type to kill tumour cells. Effector B cells travel into the blood circulation to defend against potential tumour cells. However, Bregs can produce cytokines that are immunosuppressive and ultimately promote cancer development
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The current mainstream research direction in B-cell treatment. It encompasses four main categories, including cancer prediction, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, B-cell engineering and related vaccine research
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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