1. B-Helper Neutrophils in Regional Lymph Nodes Correlate with Improved Prognosis in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer
- Author
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Ekaterina Pylaeva, Irem Ozel, Anthony Squire, Ilona Spyra, Charlotte Wallner, Magdalena Korek, Georg Korschunow, Maksim Domnich, Elena Siakaeva, Moritz Goetz, Agnes Bankfalvi, Stephan Lang, Benjamin Kansy, and Jadwiga Jablonska
- Subjects
neutrophils ,B cells ,B helper neutrophils ,NBH ,head-and-neck cancer ,lymph nodes ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
The role of neutrophils during cancer formation and elimination is diverse. Here, for the first time, we investigate neutrophil helper cells (NBH), their influence on B cell activity in the regional lymph nodes (RLN) of head-and-neck cancer patients and the effect of this neutrophil/B cell interaction on patient prognosis. Circulating and RLN neutrophils of patients with stage I–IV head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma were investigated with flow cytometry and qPCR. In addition, neutrophil/B cell co-localization in RLNs was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. B cell proliferation was assessed and correlated with the distance to neutrophils. Patient survival was evaluated. Neutrophils with the helper cell phenotype were identified in the RLN of HNC patients. B cells in close proximity to such NBH showed significantly higher proliferation rates, together with elevated activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) expression. Notably, patient survival was significantly higher in individuals with high NBH frequencies in the B follicles of RLNs. Neutrophils in RLN can support T cell-independent activation of the adaptive immune system through B cell stimulation, capturing helper cell phenotype character. The presence of such helper neutrophils in the RLNs of HNC patients positively correlates with patient prognosis.
- Published
- 2021
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