Chen Weiyi, Zhang Lingli, Gao Man, Zhang Ning, Wang Rumeng, Liu Yang, Niu Yan, Jia Lizhou
Basic Medical Sciences, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.
Front Immunol. 2025 Jan 7;15:1519034. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1519034. eCollection 2024.
Gastric cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract, and its treatment remains a significant challenge. In recent years, the role of various immune cells in the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression and treatment has gained increasing attention. Immunotherapy, primarily based on immune checkpoint inhibitors, has notably improved the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer; however, challenges regarding therapeutic efficacy persist. Histological features within the tumor microenvironment, such as tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and the proportion of intratumoral stroma, are emerging as potentially effective prognostic factors. In gastric cancer, TLSs may serve as local immune hubs, enhancing the ability of immune cells to interact with and recognize tumor antigens, which is closely linked to the effectiveness of immunotherapy and improved survival rates in patients. However, the specific cell type driving TLS formation in tumors has not yet been elucidated. Mature TLSs are B-cell regions containing germinal centers. During germinal center formation, B cells undergo transformations to become mature cells with immune function, exerting anti-tumor effects. Therefore, targeting B cells within TLSs could provide new avenues for gastric cancer immunotherapy. This review, combined with current research on TLSs and B cells in gastric cancer, elaborates on the relationship between TLSs and B cells in the prognosis and immunotherapy of patients with gastric cancer, aiming to provide effective guidance for precise immunotherapy.
胃癌是常见的消化道恶性肿瘤，其治疗仍然是一项重大挑战。近年来，各种免疫细胞在肿瘤微环境中对癌症进展和治疗的作用日益受到关注。主要基于免疫检查点抑制剂的免疫疗法显著改善了胃癌患者的预后；然而，治疗效果方面的挑战依然存在。肿瘤微环境中的组织学特征，如三级淋巴结构（TLSs）、肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞以及瘤内基质比例，正逐渐成为潜在有效的预后因素。在胃癌中，TLSs可能作为局部免疫枢纽，增强免疫细胞与肿瘤抗原相互作用和识别的能力，这与免疫疗法的有效性及患者生存率的提高密切相关。然而，驱动肿瘤中TLS形成的具体细胞类型尚未阐明。成熟的TLSs是含有生发中心的B细胞区域。在生发中心形成过程中，B细胞发生转化成为具有免疫功能的成熟细胞，发挥抗肿瘤作用。因此，靶向TLSs内的B细胞可为胃癌免疫治疗提供新途径。本综述结合目前关于胃癌中TLSs和B细胞的研究，阐述了TLSs与B细胞在胃癌患者预后和免疫治疗中的关系，旨在为精准免疫治疗提供有效指导。
