Investigating the effects of inflammation on the interaction between B and T lymphocytes during the immunotherapy treatment of melanoma

Anne Montfort
Associate investigators : Pr Bruno Ségui, Laurence Nieto, Cécile Pages et Vincent Sibeau

The establishment of an efficient immune response able to eliminate tumors requires the cooperation between cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems. At the intersection between these two worlds, B lymphocytes (B cells) can favor antigenic presentation processes, modulate the phenotype and effector properties of T lymphocytes (T cells) and have direct cytotoxic effects toward tumors. A joint infiltration of tumors, including melanoma tumors, with B cells and T cells, depending on their topology of interaction, can be associated with better responses to immunotherapy. Our recent work shows that the inflammatory microenvironment of tumors affects anti-tumor immune responses and immunotherapy efficacy. In this context, we study how the inflammatory context of tumors affects the dynamic interaction of B cells and T cells and how immunotherapies modulate these processes.

Funding :

Fondation Toulouse Cancer Santé et Ligue contre le cancer Haute-Garonne / Ariège