B Cells in Breast Cancer Pathology

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• B cells are increasingly recognized for their significant impact on breast cancer progression, prognosis, and therapeutic outcomes.
• Their roles extend beyond traditional functions to include antigen presentation, immunoglobulin production, and adaptive immune response regulation within the tumor microenvironment (TME).
• The presence and organization of B cells, including dispersed cells and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), in primary tumors and lymph nodes are critical aspects of the breast cancer immune landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review the current understanding of B cell populations within the breast cancer TME.
• To highlight the molecular and clinical relevance of diverse B cell subsets in breast cancer.
• To introduce the B singLe cEll rna-Seq browSer (BLESS) platform for analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data of breast cancer B cells.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of B cell roles in breast cancer pathology.
• Analysis of B cell distribution and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in tumor microenvironments and lymph nodes.
• Utilisation of advanced technologies like spatially defined sequencing, multiplex imaging, and digital analysis to decipher B cell diversity.
• Development and application of the BLESS platform for interrogating publicly available single-cell RNA-sequencing data.

Main Results:

• B cells exhibit diverse roles, influencing tumor regression, prognosis, and treatment response in breast cancer.
• Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) formed by B cells may serve as valuable biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy response, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
• Advanced technologies have significantly enhanced the ability to characterize B cell heterogeneity and spatial organization within the TME.

Conclusions:

• B cells are critical players in breast cancer, impacting patient outcomes and treatment efficacy.
• Further research into B cell subsets and TLS holds promise for identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for breast cancer interventions.
• The BLESS platform provides a valuable resource for researchers to explore B cell biology in breast cancer using single-cell RNA-sequencing data.