B cell-regulated immune responses in tumor models and cancer patients.
The essential role played by T cells in anticancer immunity is widely accepted. The immunosuppressive functions of regulatory T cells are central for tumor progression and have been endowed with a robust predictive value. Increasing evidence indicates that also B cells have a crucial part in the regulation of T-cell responses against tumors. Although experiments reporting the production of natural antitumor antibodies and the induction of cytotoxic immune responses have revealed a tumor-protective function for B cells, other findings suggest that B cells may also exert tumor-promoting functions, resulting in a controversial picture. Here, we review recent evidence on the interactions between B and T cells in murine models and cancer patients and their implications for cancer immunology.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics; University Hospital of Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany.
Carlo
C
Fremd
Florian
F
Schuetz
Christof
C
Sohn
Philipp
P
Beckhove
Christoph
C
Domschke
B cells; T cells; Tregs; antitumor immunity; regulatory B cells; tumor-specific immune responses