B cells secrete GABA, which provokes a pro-tumor immune microenvironment

Mara Gilardi; Monika Ramos; Daniel Hollern

doi:10.1016/j.ccell.2021.12.007

B cells secrete GABA, which provokes a pro-tumor immune microenvironment

Cancer Cell. 2022 Jan 10;40(1):17-19. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.12.007. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

Authors

Mara Gilardi¹, Monika Ramos¹, Daniel Hollern²

Affiliations

¹ Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Salk Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA, USA; NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, La Jolla, CA, USA.
² Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Salk Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA, USA; NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, La Jolla, CA, USA. Electronic address: dhollern@salk.edu.

Abstract

In a recent publication in Nature, Zhang et al. report that foreign antigen stimulation elicits bountiful changes in lymphatic metabolite production-changes that include B cells secreting GABA, which reprograms macrophages and limits T cell cytotoxicity. This signifies a new mechanism by which B cells regulate immune suppression and facilitate tumor progression.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Comment

MeSH terms

Humans
Macrophages
Neoplasms*
T-Lymphocytes
Tumor Microenvironment*
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

Substances

gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

Grants and funding

P30 CA014195/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States