Abstract B047: Antigenic properties determine the outcome of B cell driven anti-tumor immunity

Abstract B cells have the capacity to elicit both anti- and pro-tumorigenic effects; yet the determinants of productive B cell responses in cancer remain elusive. Using a system where a B cell neoantigen is either soluble or tethered to the surface of pancreatic cancer cells, we demonstrate that membrane-tethered antigen is sufficient to elicit activation of anti-tumor immunity and reduce tumor growth in an NK cell-dependent manner. We also show that decreased antigen affinity to the BCR promotes regulatory B cell function which can be overcome by increased avidity of membrane-tethered antigen. Furthermore, soluble and membrane-tethered antigens drive qualitatively distinct germinal center, plasma cell, memory B cell, and Treg responses. Finally, we describe two classes of membrane-associated antigens that correlate with GC B cell signature and improved survival in pancreatic cancer patients. Thus, antigen localization impacts basic mechanisms governing B cell differentiation and the resulting immune response to solid malignancy with implications for vaccine engineering. Citation Format: Colleen Sturdevant, Nancy Kren, Harrison Silva, Ismael Gomez, Austin Hepperla, Yuliya Pylayeva-Gupta. Antigenic properties determine the outcome of B cell driven anti-tumor immunity abstract. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84 (17 Suppl₂): Abstract nr B047.