Researchers Uncover Immune Cell Marker and Regulator of Anti-tumor Immunity
Published:25 Jul.2023 Source:Mass General Brigham
B cells are thought to play a critical role in innate and adaptive immunity, but their exact role in anti-tumor immunity remains unknown. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital with expertise in immunology collaborated with experts in dermatology from Massachusetts General Hospital to further understand the role of B cells and identify a subset of cells that may play a critical role. In collaboration with the Broad Institute they used a technique called single-cell profiling, which allows them to look at all the genes in the cell to study these B cells in mouse and human cancers.
They found a cell surface receptor called TIM-1 expressed on these B cells during melanoma growth. They also characterized multiple accompanying cell surface proteins that were involved in the B cell's immune function. Interestingly, they found that deleting a molecule TIM-1, but not any of the other accompanying proteins, dramatically decreased tumor growth.
The researchers concluded that TIM-1 controls B cell activation and immune response that combats cancer, including activating another type of the killer tumor-specific T cells for inhibiting tumor growth.