B cell signatures and tertiary lymphoid structures contribute to outcome in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 7;12(1):3349. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23355-x.

Abstract

Current immunotherapy paradigms aim to reinvigorate CD8+ T cells, but the contribution of humoral immunity to antitumor immunity remains understudied. Here, we demonstrate that in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) caused by human papillomavirus infection (HPV+), patients have transcriptional signatures of germinal center (GC) tumor infiltrating B cells (TIL-Bs) and spatial organization of immune cells consistent with tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) with GCs, both of which correlate with favorable outcome. GC TIL-Bs in HPV+ HNSCC are characterized by distinct waves of gene expression consistent with dark zone, light zone and a transitional state of GC B cells. Semaphorin 4a expression is enhanced on GC TIL-Bs present in TLS of HPV+ HNSCC and during the differentiation of TIL-Bs. Our study suggests that therapeutics to enhance TIL-B responses in HNSCC should be prioritized in future studies to determine if they can complement current T cell mediated immunotherapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Gene Expression
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / genetics
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / virology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Papillomavirus Infections
  • Semaphorins / genetics
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / genetics
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / metabolism*
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / pathology
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / virology
  • Survival Analysis
  • T-Lymphocytes
  • Tertiary Lymphoid Structures / metabolism*

Substances

  • SEMA4A protein, human
  • Semaphorins