Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer and understanding its tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial for the development of innovative therapies. Despite the presence of B cells in CRC infiltrate, their clinical significance is poorly understood. In this study, we observed an enrichment of double-negative (DN) B cells, a subset lacking surface IgD and CD27, in CRC biopsies. Typically underrepresented in physiological conditions, DN B cells expand in certain chronic infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. Within this subpopulation, low CD21 expression—a phenotypic hallmark of exhaustion—was observed. Consistently, DN B cells displayed low metabolic activity. Accordingly, total B cells infiltrating CRC tissues showed a diminished capacity to differentiate into antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) upon stimulation. In the murine setting, CRC organoids decreased the frequency of ASCs in co-cultured B cells and induced metabolic dysfunction, marked by altered glucose and fatty acid uptake and dysregulated expression of key metabolic proteins. Moreover, B cells displayed reduced glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration, despite increased mitochondrial dependence. This study provides evidence for DN B cell accumulation within CRC infiltrate and metabolic reprogramming of B cells, suggesting that targeting B cell metabolism may represent a promising strategy to potentiate anti-tumor immune responses.
Martinis et al. (Sat,) studied this question.