Elevated CD14 in B cells associates with reduced ovarian cancer risk via CD80 + dendritic cell interaction: a multi-omics study.

INTRODUCTION

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by a complex immune microenvironment. B cells, essential components of immunological regulation, have been implicated in the progression of ovarian cancer. However, the precise mechanisms by which B cells and immune molecules influence ovarian cancer risk remain poorly understood.

METHODS

This study employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from ovarian cancer patients and healthy donors. Differential gene expression analysis identified CD14 as a critical gene in B cells. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, using exposure data from eQTL and pQTL databases, was performed to evaluate the association between CD14 and ovarian cancer risk. Mediation analysis was conducted to assess the role of CD80 on myeloid dendritic cells in mediating the relationship between CD14 and ovarian cancer.

RESULTS

The analysis demonstrated that CD14 expression was significantly downregulated in B cells from ovarian cancer patients compared to healthy donors. MR analysis revealed a significant association between elevated CD14 expression and reduced ovarian cancer risk. Mediation analysis indicated that CD80 mediated 26.2% of this effect.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight CD14 as a key regulator of ovarian cancer risk, with CD80 serving as a mediator of the immune response in this context. This study provides insights into potential immune modulation strategies for ovarian cancer therapy.