If you spot a painless lump in the neck or experience persistent ringing, hearing loss in one ear, or unexplained nosebleeds, you should consider seeing a doctor immediately. These symptoms could be signs of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), or nose cancer, a rare tumor of the head and neck that originates in the nasopharynx. In 2020, over 80,000 people worldwide died from NPC. In areas with a high risk of NPC, individuals between the ages of 45 and 59 are more likely to be diagnosed with this disease.

A recent study, co-authored by Sun Yat-sen University and BGI-Research, investigated the tumor immune microenvironment of NPC before and after Gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) chemotherapy. The study found an immune cell subpopulation called innate-like B cells (ILB) in the tumor area, showing that they play a significant role in fighting against the tumor cells after GP chemotherapy. ILB was identified as a marker that can help doctors select patients who would benefit most from GP chemotherapy, providing important information to guide more targeted chemotherapy and immunotherapy for NPC. This research was published in Nature Medicine.

The tumor immune microenvironment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after gemcitabine plus cisplatin treatment published in Nature Medicine.

GP chemotherapy is the recommended standard of care for NPC, endorsed by the US National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) as one of the preferred first-line treatment regimens. Previous studies have confirmed that GP chemotherapy can increase the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate of patients with locally advanced NPC from 76.5% to 85.3%. However, the mechanisms underlying its effectiveness remain unclear.

Using single-cell RNA sequencing technology, the research team discovered that GP chemotherapy activates a dominant ILB-driven anti-tumor immune response. After GP chemotherapy, the quantity of ILB significantly increases. The production of ILB is induced by the binding of DNA fragments released by GP chemotherapy to receptors on the surface of B cells.

The mechanism of GP chemotherapy in reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

ILB aggregates in tertiary lymphoid organ-like structures after GP chemotherapy, promoting the expansion of CD4⁺ T cells (helper T cells). This, in turn, enhances the tumor-killing capacity of CD8⁺ T cells (cytotoxic T cells). Consequently, researchers believe that ILB plays a dominant role in activating anti-tumor immunity in the immune microenvironment after GP chemotherapy.

The study also found that if the quantity of ILB increases after GP chemotherapy, patients exhibit better response rates and prognoses. This confirms ILB as a potential biomarker for GP chemotherapy in NPC, providing a theoretical basis for the establishment of a new type of immunotherapy strategy.

Dr. Yin Jianhua, co-first author of the study, stated, "This study highlights the tremendous potential of single-cell sequencing technology in uncovering new biomarkers and other important aspects related to tumors. Looking ahead, combining single-cell sequencing with spatial omics techniques will provide more evidence in clinical research, diagnosis, and treatment of various types of cancer."

The project underwent ethical review and adheres to regulations, and privacy protocols.

Read the article here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02369-6