Defining the rules of engagement: B cells, antibodies and cancer control

Nutt, SL; Tellier, J; Da Gama Duarte, J

Author(s): Nutt, SL; Tellier, J; Da Gama Duarte, J;
Details: Publication Year 2026-05-06,Volume 23,Issue #6,Page 607-618
Journal Title: Cellular and Molecular Immunology
Abstract: Immunotherapy has emerged as one of the mainstays of cancer therapy. To date, immunotherapy research has focused heavily on approaches to modulate the anti-tumor activities of T cells, with other immune components of the tumor microenvironment, including B cells, receiving considerably less attention. Mounting evidence has shown that B cells, plasma cells, and the antibodies they produce can impact tumor control. B cells can have both anti-tumor activity, particularly when organized into tertiary lymphoid structures, and pro-tumorigenic roles in some settings. The rules underlying the complex interplay between B cells, other components of the tumor microenvironment, and the cancer cells themselves are only now being elucidated, but anti-tumor activity appears to be associated with distinct B-cell subpopulations and differentiation trajectories, as well as depending on the class of antibodies produced. Thus, the differentiation state of tumor-infiltrating B cells and the quality of antibodies produced may serve as prognostic markers of favorable patient outcomes. This review focuses on recent research that highlights how B-cell heterogeneity influences anti-cancer immunity and how this knowledge could be harnessed to develop B-cell-based immunotherapies and to fully utilize the power of antibody-based cancer diagnosis and patient stratification.
Publisher: Springer Nature
Keywords: Humoral immunity; Immunotherapy; Plasma cell; Tertiary lymphoid structure; Tumor-infiltrating B cell; Tumor-specific antibody
Research Division(s): Immunology
PubMed ID: 42091692
Publisher's Version: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-026-01422-x
Open Access at Publisher's Site: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-026-01422-x.
Terms of Use/Rights Notice: Refer to copyright notice on published article.

Creation Date: 2026-05-14 03:10:44

Last Modified: 2026-06-10 01:57:23