Tumor-associated B cells and humoral immune response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

OncoImmunology

Jonathan Göke¹  Engin Cukuroglu¹  Sacha I. Rothschild²  Alexander Quaas³  Jens P. Klussmann³  Michael von Bergwelt-Baildon³  Birgit Gathof³  Ramona Gilles³  Axel Hillmer³  Kerstin Wennhold³  Sebastian Theurich³  Oliver G. Siefer³  Moritz F. Meyer³  Alexander Shimabukuro-Vornhagen³  Axel Lechner³  Martin Thelen³  Hans A. Schlößer³  Christian U. Huebbers³  Dirk Beutner³ 

[1] Genome Institute of Singapore;University Hospital Basel;University of Cologne;

关键词: head and neck squamous cell carcinoma;    b cells;    humoral immune response;    tumor-associated antigens;    tumor microenvironment;    tertiary lymphoid structures;   

DOI  :  10.1080/2162402X.2018.1535293

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

B lymphocytes are important players in immune responses to cancer. However, their composition and function in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been well described. Here, we analyzed B cell subsets in HNSCC (n = 38), non-cancerous mucosa (n = 14) and peripheral blood from HNSCC patients (n = 38) and healthy controls (n = 20) by flow cytometry. Intratumoral B cells contained high percentages of activated (CD86+), antigen-presenting (CD86+/CD21−) and memory B cells (IgD−/CD27+). T follicular helper cells (CD4+/CXCR5+/CD45RA−/CCR7−) as key components of tertiary lymphoid structures and plasma cells made up high percentages of the lymphocyte infiltrate. Percentages of regulatory B cell varied depending on the regulatory phenotype. Analysis of humoral immune responses against 23 tumor-associated antigens (TAA) showed reactivity against at least one antigen in 56% of HNSCC patients. Reactivity was less frequent in human papillomavirus associated (HPV+) patients and healthy controls compared to HPV negative (HPV−) HNSCC. Likewise, patients with early stage HNSCC or MHC-I loss on tumor cells had low TAA responses. Patients with TAA responses showed CD4+ dominated T cell infiltration compared to mainly CD8+ T cells in tumors without detected TAA response. To summarize, our data demonstrates different immune infiltration patterns in relation to serological TAA response detection and the presence of B cell subpopulations in HNSCC that can engage in tumor promoting and antitumor activity. In view of increasing use of immunotherapeutic approaches, it will be important to include B cells into comprehensive phenotypic and functional analyses of tumor-associated lymphocytes.

【 授权许可】

Unknown