Abstract
BackgroundHistorically, humoral immunity was considered unimportant in anti-tumor immunity, and the differentiation and anti-tumor activity of B cells in breast cancer are poorly understood. However, it was recently discovered that B cells participate in tumor immunity through both antibody production and immunosuppressive mechanisms. We analyzed the expression of B-cell differentiation markers in detail using fluorescence-activated cell sorting to investigate the relationship between B-cell subsets and breast cancer etiology.MethodsBlood samples were taken from breast cancer patients and healthy donors, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected. B cells at various stages of differentiation were identified by the expression of combinations of the cell surface markers CD5, CD19, CD21, CD24, CD27, CD38, CD45, and IgD. Statistical analysis of the proportions of each B-cell subtype in the different patient groups was then performed.ResultsTwenty-seven breast cancer patients and 12 controls were considered. The proportion of total B cells was significantly higher in cancer patients than in controls (11.51 ± 2.059 vs 8.905 ± 0.379%, respectively; p = 0.001). Breast cancer patients were then classified as High-B or Low-B for further analysis. A significantly higher proportion of memory B cells was found in the High-B group than in the Low-B or control groups (p = 0.003 and p = 0.043, respectively).ConclusionsBreast cancer patients generally have a higher proportion of B cells than healthy controls, but this is highly variable. Analysis of the major B-cell surface markers indicates that memory B cells in particular are significantly expanded, or more robust, in breast cancer patients.
Highlights
Immunotherapeutic approaches such as peptide vaccines have been used to stimulate the host’s intrinsic immune response to cancer [1]
The relative proportions of B-cell subsets were analyzed in detail in breast cancer (BC) patients and healthy donors
We found differences in B-cell differentiation between BC patients and healthy donors
Summary
Immunotherapeutic approaches such as peptide vaccines have been used to stimulate the host’s intrinsic immune response to cancer [1]. We developed the novel anti-HER2 peptide vaccine CH401MAP following an in vitro analysis of T cells from Japanese breast cancer (BC) patients that revealed lower proportions of both killer and helper T cells in BC patients compared with healthy donors [2, 3]. The proportion of total B cells was significantly higher in cancer patients than in controls (11.51 ± 2.059 vs 8.905 ± 0.379%, respectively; p = 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of memory B cells was found in the High-B group than in the Low-B or control groups (p = 0.003 and p = 0.043, respectively). Conclusions Breast cancer patients generally have a higher proportion of B cells than healthy controls, but this is highly variable. Analysis of the major B-cell surface markers indicates that memory B cells in particular are significantly expanded, or more robust, in breast cancer patients
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