Strategic engineering B cell immunity for cancer immunotherapy

Clinical datasets across versatile types of cancer indicate a strong association between B-cell tumor presence and cancer patients' responses and survival following immune checkpoint blockade. Indeed, many clinical observations have identified mature tumor associated tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) with distinct B cell and T cell zones as a key determinant of patients' responses to immunotherapy. However, differences in clinical associations and B cells functions across tumor contextures necessitate in-depth investigations on context-dependent anti- and pro-tumorigenic roles of B-cell immunity-antibody secretion, antigen presentation, and cytokine production-and its importance for tumor control. Therapeutic strategies that promote B cell infiltration, TLS formation and maturation show promise in re-programing the tumor microenvironment, enhancing anti-tumor immunity, and promoting tumor clearance.