B Cells in Patients With Melanoma: Implications for Treatment With Checkpoint Inhibitor Antibodies
Zena Willsmore, R. J. C. Harris, Silvia Crescioli, Khuluud Hussein, Helen Kakkassery, Deepika Thapa, Anthony Cheung, Jitesh Chauhan, Heather J. Bax, Alicia M. Chenoweth, Roman Laddach, Gabriel Osborn, Alexa McCraw, Ricarda M. Hoffmann, Mano Nakamura, Jenny L. C. Geh, Alastair D. MacKenzie Ross, Ciaran Healy, Sophia Tsoka, James Spicer, Sophie Papa, Linda D. Barber, Katie E. Lacy, Sophia N. Karagiannis
Abstract
The contributions of the humoral immune response to melanoma are now widely recognized, with reports of positive prognostic value ascribed to tumor-infiltrating B cells (TIL-B) and increasing evidence of B cells as key predictors of patient response to treatment. There are disparate views as to the pro- and anti-tumor roles of B cells. B cells appear to play an integral role in forming tumor-associated tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) which can further modulate T cell activation. Expressed antibodies may distinctly influence tumor regulation in the tumor microenvironment, with some isotypes associated with strong anti-tumor immune response and others with progressive disease. Recently, B cells have been evaluated in the context of cancer immunotherapy. Checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), targeting T cell effector functions, have revolutionized the management of melanoma for many patients; however, there remains a need to accurately predict treatment responders. Increasing evidence suggests that B cells may not be simple bystanders to CPI immunotherapy. Mature and differentiated B cell phenotypes are key positive correlates of CPI response. Recent evidence also points to an enrichment in activatory B cell phenotypes, and the contribution of B cells to TLS formation may facilitate induction of T cell phenotypes required for response to CPI. Contrastingly, specific B cell subsets often correlate with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in CPI. With increased appreciation of the multifaceted role of B cell immunity, novel therapeutic strategies and biomarkers can be explored and translated into the clinic to optimize CPI immunotherapy in melanoma.