B cell mechanobiology in health and disease: emerging techniques and insights into therapeutic responses

Cells sense physical cues from their environment and convert them into biochemical responses through mechanotransduction. Unlike solid tumours, the role of such forces in haematological cancers is underexplored. In this context, immune cells experience dynamic mechanical stimuli as they migrate, extravasate and home to specific tissues. Understanding how these forces shape B-cell function and malignancy represents a groundbreaking area of research. This review examines the key mechanosensory pathways and molecules involved in lymphocyte mechanotransduction, beginning with mechanosensory proteins at the plasma membrane, followed by intracellular signal propagation through the cytoskeleton, eventually highlighting the nucleus as a 'signal actuator'. Subsequently, we cover some measurement approaches and advanced systems to investigate tumour biomechanics, highlighting their application in the context of B cells. Finally, we focus on the implications of mechanobiology in leukaemia, identifying molecules involved in B-cell malignancies that could serve as potential 'mechano-targets' for personalised therapies. This review emphasises the need to understand how lymphocytes generate, sense and respond to mechanical stimuli, which could open avenues for future biomedical innovations. Impact statement Our review is particularly valuable in highlighting the underexplored role of mechanobiology in B cell function and malignancies, while also discussing emerging techniques that can advance this research area. It bridges mechanotransduction, immunology, and cancer biology in a way that will be of interest to researchers across these three main fields.