Previous studies have demonstrated the pro- and anti-tumor activities of tumor-infiltrating B cell populations in mice and human. However, more and more studies have now demonstrated that B and plasma cell densities are related to the good prognosis in many solid human tumors. Their intrinsic role is not clearly understood but tumor-infiltrating B cells could positively impact the tumor microenvironment of patients within tertiary lymphoid structures. In these specialized structures, tumor-infiltrating B cells may act as antigen presenting cells to mount a T cell response, may secrete cytokine secretion and could differentiate into plasma cells. These intra-tumoral plasma cells could also secrete anti-tumor antibodies directed tumor cells that trigger anti-tumor immune responses at least in renal cell carcinoma. In addition to their prognostic role, B cells are also predictive biomarkers to immune checkpoint (ICP) therapy. Indeed, in 2020, a series of 3 major papers highlighted the crucial role of TLS and B cells to predict the response to a-PD1 treatment. Finally, B cell characteristics could be also important to be monitored, since B cell changes reflected toxicities that occurred upon ICP therapy. B cell populations are prognostic, predictive, and are safety biomarkers in immune-oncology.
This topic aims to highlight the role of humoral immunity in cancer research and show that not only CD8 T cells are important to have a strong antitumor immune response. It will assess the use of incorporate B or plasma cells biomarkers in clinical trial as potential predictive biomarker not only for Immune checkpoint, with recent papers showing the predictive value of B cells for EGFR therapy, with Cetuximab, and define whether B or plasma cells could also be biomarkers in chemo-immunotherapy combination. A better understand of the role of B cells within the tumor microenvironment with mechanistic study that could explain their good or bad prognostic value, describe the environment of B cells/plasma cells in cancer, such as cells that interact with B cell populations and their potential impact for their prognostic value. Finally, we aim to decipher the different type of B cells within the tumor microenvironment (regulatory B cells TGF-b+, anti-tumor B cells) and their associated phenotype.
We welcome the submission of Original research, Review, Mini-review, Perspective, Clinical trial, Brief research report, General commentary, Opinion focusing on, but not limited to, the following themes:
• B cells within TLS and/or plasma cells as prognostic biomarkers:
- Meta-analysis
- Good prognostic value or bad prognostic value
- Associated mechanism of action of B and plasma cells (antigen presenting cells, secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators), discussion about different types of TLS (Mature, immature)
• B cells or plasma cells are predictive biomarker of ICP therapy, Cetuximab treatment
• B cells are safety biomarkers: immune adverse events
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation are considered out of scope of this section.
Topic editor Dr. Hélène Kaplon is employed by Servier, and Dr. Helen Angell is employed by AstraZeneca and has received funding from multiple companies. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
Previous studies have demonstrated the pro- and anti-tumor activities of tumor-infiltrating B cell populations in mice and human. However, more and more studies have now demonstrated that B and plasma cell densities are related to the good prognosis in many solid human tumors. Their intrinsic role is not clearly understood but tumor-infiltrating B cells could positively impact the tumor microenvironment of patients within tertiary lymphoid structures. In these specialized structures, tumor-infiltrating B cells may act as antigen presenting cells to mount a T cell response, may secrete cytokine secretion and could differentiate into plasma cells. These intra-tumoral plasma cells could also secrete anti-tumor antibodies directed tumor cells that trigger anti-tumor immune responses at least in renal cell carcinoma. In addition to their prognostic role, B cells are also predictive biomarkers to immune checkpoint (ICP) therapy. Indeed, in 2020, a series of 3 major papers highlighted the crucial role of TLS and B cells to predict the response to a-PD1 treatment. Finally, B cell characteristics could be also important to be monitored, since B cell changes reflected toxicities that occurred upon ICP therapy. B cell populations are prognostic, predictive, and are safety biomarkers in immune-oncology.
This topic aims to highlight the role of humoral immunity in cancer research and show that not only CD8 T cells are important to have a strong antitumor immune response. It will assess the use of incorporate B or plasma cells biomarkers in clinical trial as potential predictive biomarker not only for Immune checkpoint, with recent papers showing the predictive value of B cells for EGFR therapy, with Cetuximab, and define whether B or plasma cells could also be biomarkers in chemo-immunotherapy combination. A better understand of the role of B cells within the tumor microenvironment with mechanistic study that could explain their good or bad prognostic value, describe the environment of B cells/plasma cells in cancer, such as cells that interact with B cell populations and their potential impact for their prognostic value. Finally, we aim to decipher the different type of B cells within the tumor microenvironment (regulatory B cells TGF-b+, anti-tumor B cells) and their associated phenotype.
We welcome the submission of Original research, Review, Mini-review, Perspective, Clinical trial, Brief research report, General commentary, Opinion focusing on, but not limited to, the following themes:
• B cells within TLS and/or plasma cells as prognostic biomarkers:
- Meta-analysis
- Good prognostic value or bad prognostic value
- Associated mechanism of action of B and plasma cells (antigen presenting cells, secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators), discussion about different types of TLS (Mature, immature)
• B cells or plasma cells are predictive biomarker of ICP therapy, Cetuximab treatment
• B cells are safety biomarkers: immune adverse events
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation are considered out of scope of this section.
Topic editor Dr. Hélène Kaplon is employed by Servier, and Dr. Helen Angell is employed by AstraZeneca and has received funding from multiple companies. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject.
