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Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Generation of Human CD40-activated B cells
Published on: October 16, 2009
The role of B cells in cancer development
Rongying Tan1,2, Manhua Nie1,2, Wang Long3
1Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Abstract:
B cells play a critical role in adaptive immune responses mainly due to antigen presentation and antibody production. Studies about the tumor-infiltrating immune cells so far demonstrated that the function of B cells in tumor immunity is quite different among various tumor types. The antigen presentation of B cells is mainly anti-tumoral, while the role of antibody production is controversial. Moreover, the immunosuppressive regulatory B cells are detrimental to anti-tumor immunity via the secretion of various anti-inflammatory cytokines. This review briefly summarizes the different roles of B cells classified by the primary function of B cells, antigen presentation, antibody production, and immunity regulation. Further, it discusses the potential therapeutic target of B cells in tumor immunity.
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