Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42039177›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2026

Regulatory B cell-related gene signature predicts prognosis and immune landscape in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Junyan He, Keling Pang, Zhigang Zhou, Chaolin Yang, Yi Chen, Sha He, Fujue Wang, Pian Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Junyan HeDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Keling PangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Zhigang ZhouChangde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde, China.
Chaolin YangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Yi ChenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Sha HeDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Fujue WangDepartment of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
Pian LiDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Regulatory B cells (Bregs) are critical in regulating immune responses and fostering immune tolerance in various cancers; however, their role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is unclear. This study examined the function of Breg-related genes in HNSCC and their possible prognostic and therapeutic implications. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSCC training cohort was used to establish a prognostic signature for Breg-related genes by applying consensus clustering, univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression, and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Validation cohorts from the TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were used to assess the robustness of the model. This study investigated the associations among the signature and several clinicopathological features, expression of immune checkpoints, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and sensitivity to pharmacological agents. The underlying mechanisms were examined using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Additionally, various techniques, including ESTIMATE, were used to assess immune infiltration. Functional experiments and transcriptome sequencing were conducted to investigate the role of oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1) gene. Results: The analysis identified an eight-gene Breg-related prognostic signature that demonstrated robust predictive power across cohorts. High-risk patients exhibited significantly poorer survival, reduced immune cell infiltration, and lower immune molecule expression. The prognostic accuracy was further improved by integrating the risk score with TMB or clinicopathological features. Functional analyses revealed strong associations with immune-related pathways. Moreover, the signature was reported as a potential biomarker for predicting immunotherapy response and drug sensitivity. Furthermore, OLR1, the most essential gene of the signature, was found to be oncogenic and linked to immune evasion in HNSCC. Conclusions: The Breg-related gene signature provides an effective prognostic tool for patients with HNSCC, reflects the immune landscape and TMB, and may direct personalized therapeutic approaches, such as immunotherapy.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorB-Lymphocytes, RegulatoryHead and Neck NeoplasmsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckTranscriptomeFemaleGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingMalePrognosisTumor MicroenvironmentBiomarkers, Tumorhead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)immune infiltrationprognostic modelregulatory B cells (Bregs)therapeutic strategies

Identifiers

PMID42039177
PMCPMC13106120

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.