Germinal center B-cell subgroups in the tumor microenvironment cannot be overlooked: Their involvement in prognosis, immunotherapy response, and treatment resistance in head and neck squamous carcinoma.

{"sci_version": "1.2", "schema": "https://corpus.bntrg.co.uk/sci/1.0/sci.schema.json", "id": "pmid:39391510", "kind": "science-record", "revision": 3, "content_hash": "sha256:5ef55aa328e663c20c273cd1f7b1e6e9f3fc16de69cf46a5041787771e45f0e7", "created_at": "2026-11-01T20:29:37Z", "updated_at": "2026-11-01T22:12:54Z", "generator": {"name": "corpus-assay-engine", "run_id": "reading-sci-2026-11-01"}, "paper": {"state": "complete", "title": "Germinal center B-cell subgroups in the tumor microenvironment cannot be overlooked: Their involvement in prognosis, immunotherapy response, and treatment resistance in head and neck squamous carcinoma.", "doi": "10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37726", "pmid": "39391510", "authors": ["Li Lin", "Jiani Zou", "Shengbin Pei", "Wenyi Huang", "Yichi Zhang", "Zhijie Zhao", "Yantao Ding", "Can Xiao"], "journal": "Heliyon", "year": 2024, "abstract": "Background: More than 60 % of patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) are diagnosed at advanced stages and miss radical treatment. This has prompted the need to find new biomarkers to achieve early diagnosis and predict early recurrence and metastasis of tumors.\nMethods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from HNSCC tissues and peripheral blood samples were obtained through the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE164690) to characterize the B-cell subgroups, differentiation trajectories, and intercellular communication networks in HNSCC and to construct a prognostic model of the associated risks. In addition, this study analyzed the differences in clinical features, immune cell infiltration, functional enrichment, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and drug sensitivity between the high- and low-risk groups.\nResults: Using scRNA-seq of HNSCC, we classified B and plasma cells into a total of four subgroups: naive B cells (NBs), germinal center B cells (GCBs), memory B cells (MBs), and plasma cells (PCs). Pseudotemporal trajectory analysis revealed that NBs and GCBs were at the early stage of B cell differentiation, while MBs and PCs were at the end. Cellular communication revealed that GCBs acted on tumor cells through the CD99 and SEMA4 signaling pathways. The independent prognostic value, immune cell infiltration, TMB and drug sensitivity assays were validated for the MEF2B+ GCB score groups.\nConclusions: We identified GCBs as B cell-specific prognostic biomarkers for the first time. The MEF2B+ GCB score fills the research gap in the genetic prognostic prediction model of HNSCC and is expected to provide a theoretical basis for finding new therapeutic targets for HNSCC.", "claims": [{"id": "claim-method", "statement": "Signature genes associated with OS of HNSCC patients were screened using univariate Cox regression analysis. To avoid the multicollinearity of these genes, we further filtered them using LASSO regression (glmnet, version 4.1–6) to fileted these genes. The risk coefficients for each gene were then calculated using multivariate Cox regression.", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:39391510", "locator": "sections[8] \"Construction of a risk score in HNSCC patients\" paragraph 2", "quote": "Signature genes associated with OS of HNSCC patients were screened using univariate Cox regression analysis. To avoid the multicollinearity of these genes, we further filtered them using LASSO regression (glmnet, version 4.1–6) to fileted these genes. The risk coefficients for each gene were then calculated using multivariate Cox regression."}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-data-access", "statement": "The raw data for this study were generated at the corresponding archives, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:39391510", "locator": "sections[39] \"Availability of data and material\" paragraph 2", "quote": "The raw data for this study were generated at the corresponding archives, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors."}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-target-result", "statement": "The MEF2B+ GCB score had time-dependent AUCs of 0.690 at 1 year, 0.711 at 3 years, and 0.677 at 5 years for predicting overall survival in HNSCC patients.", "kind": "qualitative", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:39391510", "locator": "sections[29] \"MEF2B+ GCB score based on the prognosis-related genes in C11 GCBs\" paragraph 2", "quote": "The calculated Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) values stood at 0.690 (1 year), 0.711 (3 years) and 0.677 (5 years), as evidenced in Fig. 11G."}], "state": "complete"}], "gaps": []}, "experiment": {"state": "complete", "objective": "The MEF2B+ GCB score had time-dependent AUCs of 0.690 at 1 year, 0.711 at 3 years, and 0.677 at 5 years for predicting overall survival in HNSCC patients.", "steps": [{"id": "read_published_estimate", "order": 1, "name": "Read the published estimate from the source", "kind": "other", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The claim, method and evidence span published with the source article.", "duration_hours": null, "parameters": {}, "inputs": ["source:pmid:39391510"], "outputs": ["the published estimate and its evidence"], "instruments": [], "reagents": []}, {"id": "obtain_source_data", "order": 2, "name": "Obtain the source data from the named repository", "kind": "data-preparation", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The GEO series accession resolves and its sample accessions are listed. 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