Multifaceted function of B cells in tumorigenesis

Abstract

B lymphocytes (B cells) play a complex and paradoxical role in tumorigenesis. They can recognize tumor-associated antigens, present these antigens to T cells, and produce antibodies that directly target and eliminate tumor cells. This makes B cells a potentially powerful ally in combating cancer. However, B cells also exhibit immunosuppressive functions, secreting cytokines like IL-10 or generating tumor-promoting antibodies that dampen the anti-tumor immune response, and some tumor cells have even been shown to exploit B cells to promote their growth and metastasis. This dual nature of B cells presents both opportunities and challenges for tumor immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms underlying the multifaceted functions of B cells and their current applications in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, we also explore the key issues and future directions in this field, emphasizing the need for further research to fully harness the anti-tumor potential of B cells in the fight against cancer.

Keywords

B cells / anti-tumor / pro-tumor / B cell-targeted immunotherapy

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by funds from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 32141004, 81825010 and 82302036)，and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Nos. 2021YFC2300500 and 2021YFC2302403).

Compliance with ethics guidelines

Conflicts of interest Na Kang, Qinghui Duan, Xin Min, Tong Li, Yuxin Li, Ji Gao and Wanli Liu have declared that no conflict of interest exists.

This is a review article and does not involve a research protocol requiring approval by the relevant institutional review board or ethics committee.

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