IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-B cells facilitate immune evasion of metastasizing cancer cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes

B cells facilitate immune evasion of metastasizing cancer cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The speaker studies how the immune system affects lymph node metastasis, a stage of cancer spread that is especially dangerous in pancreatic cancer. Using a spontaneous mouse model, the team found that removing myeloid cells or macrophages did not reduce metastasis. In contrast, eliminating B cells, either genetically or with anti-CD20 antibodies, sharply reduced lymph node metastasis, even though cancer cells still seeded the lymph node early. This showed B cells are required for metastatic growth, not initial arrival. Antibodies were not responsible, since serum, IgM, and class-switch-deficient models did not rescue metastasis. Instead, B cells needed MHC class II, suggesting they promote metastasis by presenting antigen and shaping T-cell responses. When T cells were removed from B-cell–deficient mice, metastasis returned, indicating B cells normally suppress anti-tumor immunity in the tumor-draining lymph node. Overall, the work suggests B cells enable lymph node colonization by helping cancer cells evade immune surveillance.

Meta Tag

Date April 19, 2026 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Room 156

Session Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment III

Speaker Alice Bertocchi

Track Tumor Immunology: Cellular Responses and Tumor Microenvironment (TIME)

Year 2026

Keywords

B cells

lymph node metastasis

pancreatic cancer

MHC class II

immune surveillance

April 19, 2026 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM

156

Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment III

Alice Bertocchi

Tumor Immunology: Cellular Responses and Tumor Microenvironment (TIME)

2026