单细胞转录组学揭示非小细胞肺癌新辅助帕博利珠单抗联合化疗后肿瘤浸润 B 细胞的功能

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most pervasive lung cancer subtype. Recent studies have shown that immune checkpoint inhibitors achieved favorable clinical benefits in resectable NSCLC; however, the associated mechanism remains unclear. The role of T cells in antitumor immunity has received considerable attention, while the antitumor effects of tumor-infiltrating B cells (TIBs) in NSCLC remain poorly understood.

Here, we conducted a single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of immune cells isolated from 12 patients with stage IIIA NSCLC to investigate B cell subtypes and their functions following neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.

We confirmed the simultaneous existence of the 4 B cell subtypes. Among them, memory B cells were found to be associated with a positive therapeutic effect to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.

Furthermore, we found that G protein-coupled receptor 183 was most prevalent in memory B cells and associated with a positive therapeutic response. Multiplex immunofluorescence and flow cytometry experiments in an additional cohort of 22 treatment-naïve and 30 stage IIIA/IIIB NSCLC patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy verified these findings.

Overall, our analysis revealed the functions of TIBs and their potential effect on clinical treatment in NSCLC.